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'I H E 



WHITE 
CANGE 

AND OTHER LEGENDS OF THE OJIBWAYS 




(Published by BROADWAY 
PUBLISHING COMPANY 
835 BROADWAY NEW YORK 

55555555^556655^ 




PREPARED FROM LEGENDS 
HEARD FROM THE INDIANS 
THEMSELVES BY : : : : : 

ELIZABETH MONeRTOM 

(Elisabeth Davis Fielder) 

With reproductions of cover- 
design and 8 original pyro- 
graphic drawings on birch 
bark by the author : : : : : 





LIBRARY of CONGRESS 






Two Copies Received 






JAN 4 1906 






, . Copyright Entry 

CLASS CC XXc. No. 

7 9' / 7 c^ 

COPY B. 




Copyrighted, in 1904, 


BY 


ELIZABETH MONCKTON 




Ail Rights Reserved. 






TO MY FRIEND 

MRS. ELEANOR L. ELDER, 
This book is affectionately inscribed. 



CONTENTS. 

PAGE 

The White Canoe i 

The Revenge of Unk-te-ha 15 

The Daughters of the Stars 33 

The Origin of the Robin 54 

The Enchanted Moccasins 60 

The Journey of 0-me-me 80 



ILLUSTRATIONS 

LEELINA Frontispiece 

PAGE 

The Revenge of Unk-te-ha 15 '' 

The Daughters of the Stars 23'^ 

The Origin of the Robin $4^ 

The Enchanted Moccasins 60-"^ 

The Journey of O-me-me 80 

The Little Beaver , 105 

Finis 138 



INTRODUCTION. 

TT is finished ! The wonderful First Book which 
■■• has hovered in the background of my im- 
agination as the goal of all achievement ever 
since my youthful ambition was first fired by 
reading of Mr. Finney's illustrious turnip. Its 
form, however, has undergone some changes. In 
those days the Book was a volume of poems 
bound in green and gold, with my portrait as a 
frontispiece and an autograph underneath that 
nobody could read. It is useless to enumerate 
the causes which led to this modification ; the 
Critic doesn't need them, and the Gentle Reader 
wouldn't appreciate them. 

The legends comprised in this little volume 
were not unearthed from musty books hidden 
away on dark shelves in public libraries, but by 
word of mouth, in the lodges and around the 
camp-fires during one long lazy summer when I 
strayed with wandering bands of Indians from, one 

V 



vi Introduction 

camping ground to another. The squaws told 
them as they crouched on their rush mats beading 
moccasins or braiding baskets ; the old men told 
them as they lay before the camp-fires at evening 
and watched the smoke from their pipes curl 
upward, and I give them as they were given to 
me, as the old men had handed them down from 
generation to generation, as they will be passed 
on to their children, and their children's children, 
as long as their is a wandering Ojibway left in 
the forests along the Big-Sea- Water. The truth 
is. Gentle Reader, Voracious Critic, I had to do 
something to make back the money I spent that 
Summer for tobacco to keep the story-teller's 
pipe working. 

The natural attitude of the young writer com- 
ing with his first book, is meek and apologetic. 
He comes on all-fours, so to speak. I am only 
enabled to stand erect and claim for my book 
what it deserves by means of constant bolstering 
with Mr. Brander Matthews' shrewd advice in 
''The Philosophy of the Preface." I am also 
supported by the firm conviction that it will take 
a critic to discover all the good things that arc 



Introduction vii 

really in it. The student of theology will be 
interested in tracing the analogy between these 
legends and Bible narrative, and noting how 
nearly the lines approach sometimes, leaving 
only the racial differences of the people between 
them. The student of literature wall find them 
worthy of consideration as a contribution to folk- 
lore, and the small boy and little girl who want 
only a good story will be delighted to find an en- 
tirely new tribe of fairies, and a new and horrible 
giant. In short, you have only to read this intro- 
duction — and I hope nobody will fail to read it — 
in order to be convinced that no family and no 
individual can afford to be without this First 
Book. 

I think I have now followed Mr. Matthews' 
advice to the letter, saving and excepting that 
of boasting of its defects. The only reason I 
have omitted this is that there are no defects. 

E. M. 



THE WHITE CANOE. 

T T was four days since the women had borne 
her out of the lodge and buried her in the 
edge of the forest. Four days, and Waywas- 
simo had not tasted food and only left his lodge 
at evening to kindle the fire upon her grave. 
Four times was the spirit's camp-fire lighted as 
Waywassimo followed the soul of his beloved 
on its lonely journey to the Land of Shadows, 
but now the charred and blackened embers lay un- 
touched upon her grave and a veil had fallen be- 
tween the soul of Waywassimo and his beloved. 
The squaws brought food and placed it inside 
the lodge door, but Waywassimo turned away 
his face. He had no desire for the food of the 
old women when all his soul was hungry for the 
voice of his beloved, his beautiful Lcelina with 
eyes like stars and a voice like the wind in the 
pines. Tall and straight as a young fir tree ! 



2 The White Canoe 

Graceful, bending like a willow, swift of foot 
and light of laughter! No, there was never an- 
other like her, Leelina the gentle, Leelina the fair ! 
Another moon and she would have been his bride, 
but now the w^omen had buried her in the edge of 
the forest, and Waywassimo was alone ! 

They brought his bow and arrows and laid 
them inside the lodge door. For a moment 
the blood of the hunter quickened in his veins ; 
then he remembered that no longer could he lay 
at the feet of Leelina his trophies from the chase, 
so he turned away his face and heeded them not. 

Again they came and laid his tomahawk and 
war-club inside the lodge door and without he 
heard the tom-toms and the saw-saw-quan of the 
w-arriors. Once more his pulse leaped and he 
made as if to array himself for battle ; but when 
he laid his hands on the war garments, rich with 
wampum and porcupine quills, he remembered 
that Leelina would not be there to join in the 
feasting, and to hear the stories of his prowess 
on their return, so he turned away his face and 
heeded them not. 

Then they came no more, and Wavwassimo 



And Other Legends 3 

sat alone in his lodge, neither eating nor drink- 
ing, until the women shook their heads and said : 
"We will soon kindle the spirit's camp-fire on 
another grave in the forest." 

As Waywassimo sat alone in his lodge, weak 
and faint from long fasting, he dreamed strange 
dreams. All the stories the old men had told 
him came back to him, but now they were not as 
old men's tales, but mingled strangely with his 
dreams of Leelina. 

They told him of a pathway leading from 
earth to the Land of Souls, and how the great 
Master of Life, in pity for those who loved well, 
had granted this boon that they might see one an- 
other again. Dim and uncertain was the path- 
way and few on earth had found it, for the way 
was long and weary and the love of many grew 
cold. 

Night after night, as Waywassimo lay on the 
mat in his lodge, the dream came to him as the 
old men had told it, and at last he knew that he 
should have no peace until he had found the 
mysterious pathway and seen Leelina again. 

He took a handful of corn in his meda-bag and 



4 The White Canoe 

a few arrows in his quiver, then steaHng out of 
the village in the darkness, he stood beside the 
grave of Leelina. His spirit w^as going to seek 
hers, yet in all the four corners of the earth he 
knew not which way to turn. At last he drew 
his bow-string and sent an arrow singing toward 
the stars. The arrow fell to the southward, 
and setting his face in that direction, Waywas- 
simo started on his journey. 

For many days he walked, through forests, 
over rank beaver-meadows, across streams and 
marshes, without finding any trace of the myste- 
rious pathway. Bewildered and faint with weari- 
ness, he kept on until his limbs gave way beneath 
him and it seemed as if he had but left the vil- 
lage to perish in an unknown wilderness. But 
not to save life itself would he turn back from 
seeking Leelina, for if it was the will of the Great 
Spirit that he perish, then his soul should be for- 
ever with hers in the Islands of the Blessed. 
Then, as Waywassimo strengthened his resolve 
and moved forward on his journey, a Spirit came 
to him out of the shadows of the forest, and, 
taking his hand, pointed to a trail under the 



And Other Legends 5 

leaves and dead grasses. No word did the Spirit 
speak, and when Waywassimo Hfted his eyes 
from the trail, he was alone, but he was standing 
in the pathway to the Land of Souls. 

On and on he went, his weariness falling from 
him and his limbs strengthening with renewed 
vigor. The snow was deep on the ground and 
matted thick on the trees when he left the vil- 
lage; but, as he proceeded on his journey, the 
snow gradually disappeared, the gray clouds dis- 
solved and floated away, and over him arched the 
tender blue of Spring skies. The boughs flushed 
with swelling buds, and through them swept 
a breeze warm and balmy and odorous with the 
breath of flowers. 

No sign of human life did Waywassimo see in 
all his journey, but the breeze grew warmer and 
balmier, the trees burst into full leaf, wild flowers 
grew along his pathway, and the forest was 
melodious with the song of birds. Moving on to 
the southward the foliage became richer and 
more luxuriant, more brilliant the plumage of 
the birds, and at night-time myriads of fireflies 
twinkled and ^rlowed in the dense forest. 



6 The White Canoe 

Now the trail became plainer, and by this sign 
Waywassimo knew that he was nearing his jour- 
ney's end. At last it emerged from the forest and 
led along a sloping hillside, on the summit of 
which stood a solitary lodge. Within the lodge 
sat an old man, with whitened locks upon his 
shoulders. He was clothed in a single garment 
of skins and held a staff in his hand. Waywassi- 
mo knew by the stories of the old men that it was 
Chebiabos, the ruler of the Land of Souls. 

"I have looked for you long, my son," the old 
man said, advancing to meet Waywassimo. ''She 
whom you seek is not here, but she passed this 
way a few days before you. Enter. I will give 
you food, you may rest in my lodge, and then I 
will guide you upon the same journey." 

Waywassimo entered the lodge of Chebiabos, 
he partook of the food placed before him, and 
lying down on a bed of boughs he slept as he had 
not slept since Leelina went away. 

The sun was high in the heavens when Che- 
biabos led Waywassimo out of the lodge, and 
pointed to a lake stretching through the valley be- 
low. Its clear waters sparkled in the sunlight, 



And Other Legends 7 

and beyond it, misty and blue lay the fair plains 
of the Land of Souls. 

"Behold the Plains of the Blessed, my son," 
Chebiabos said. "You stand now upon its bor- 
der, but before you can go forward you must lay 
aside your bow and arrows, for no sign of war- 
fare or bloodshed is allowed to enter that land.'' 

Then leading Waywassimo back into his lodge 
Chebiabos stripped him of his travel worn rai- 
ment, of all the implements of hunting and war- 
fare, and clothed him in a beautiful garment, soft 
and white as the finest moose skin, and fringed 
with wampum that shone like silver in the sun- 
light. Then when Waywassimo walked forth 
from the lodge, he found his feet light as if 
winged so that he could travel with no feeling of 
weariness. 

Together they entered the forest bordering the 
lake which divided them from the Land of Souls. 
Here Waywassimo found all things ac he had left 
them behind. The trees of his own forest grev: 
around him, birds flitted through their branches, 
and animals sprang across his path. The sun 
shone brightly on a familiar world, but over all 



8 The White Canoe 

brooded a strange oppressive stillness. The trees 
swayed in the breeze, but there was no rustling of 
leaves, no chirp and twitter of bird song, no whir 
of wings, no drone and hum of insects, and not 
even a twig crackled under foot as they moved on 
through the forest. 

The silence grew heavier and more oppressive 
until Waywassimo felt a strange surging and 
singing in his ears, and his brain reeled with a 
sense of unreality. His companion uttered no 
word as they passed through the silent forest, and 
he felt himself suffocated with the pounding of 
his own heart in his bosom, and the surging of 
the blood in his ears became as the roaring of a 
cataract. 

Stretching out his hand Waywassimo made as 
if to lay it on the trunk of a tree growing beside 
the way, then the surging in his ears stopped, 
and his heart stood still, for his hand swept 
through the air and dropped at his side. There 
was no tree ! Again he stooped to pluck a flower 
growing among the moss, but his fingers closed 
upon themselves, and there was no flower ! Then 
Chebiabos turned to him and said ; 



And Other Legends 9 

"It is so, my son, we are in the Land of Sha- 
dows. Behind you are all realities. These are 
but the forms of things that have beautified the 
earth and perished. The Master of Life is great 
and very good, and he has ordained that nothing 
be lost. The flowers that bloom for a day, the 
trees that waved their branches through the sun 
and storm of many years, all things that his hand 
has fashioned live forever. See, my son, the 
forest is full of birds, but there is no song. They 
are the shadows of birds that have sung to you 
on the other side, and the animals which you 
see around you are but the forms of your own 
good and evil thoughts. You walk in the Land 
of Shadows, my son, the border country to the 
Land of Souls." 

At last they emerged from the forest and found 
themselves on the bank of the lake. As Way- 
wassimo strained his eyes across the level shining 
water a speck appeared among the mists upon the 
horizon, the lingeripg floating mists of morning 
that melted sea and sky together. Now it fell 
and now it lifted, sometimes flying, sometimes 
floating like a heron or a wild goose, dipping, 



lo The White Canoe 

flashing in the sunlight, but ever coming nearer, 
nearer, until the straining eyes of Waywassimo 
saw the speck upon the water, not a wild goose nor 
a heron, but a shining white Cheemaun coming 
toward him across the water. None there was to 
steer or paddle, but straight along a track of 
splendor came the white canoe to Waywassimo. 
Now it grounded safe among the glittering peb- 
bles, then he saw that on the bottom lay a paddle 
made of silver. 

**It is the White Canoe come to carry you 
across the lake," Chebiabos said, "and there is no 
other means of passage to the Land of Souls. I 
leave you here, for every pilgrim must make the 
voyage alone, but if you have faith all will be 
well." 

Then Waywassimo stepped into the White 
Canoe, and taking the silver paddle, pushed off 
from shore. When he had gone some distance 
out upon the lake he saw another canoe approach- 
ing, gliding over the shining water, and drop- 
ping showers of crystal spray from the gleaming 
silver paddle. Nearer and nearer It came, and 
Waywassimo dropped his paddle and again 



And Other Legends ii 

strained his eyes across the ghmmenng sheet of 
water. The slender figure which swayed with 
every dip of the paddle w^as a woman. Now he 
could see the glittering fringe of wampum on her 
arms, and w^aist and bosom, see her dark and 
floating tresses, see the oval of her features, — yes, 
it was his lost love, Leelina ! 

On and on she came until the tw^o White 
Canoes floated side by side, but when Waywassi- 
mo stood up and held out his arms to her, Leelina 
smiled and laid her finger on her lips as if warn- 
ing him to silence. 

Together they paddled on, and now Wayw^as- 
simo noticed that the weaves w^ere running high 
though the sun still shone, and there w^as not a 
cloud in the sky. Higher and higher they grew^ 
rolling against the canoes, as if they w^ould swamp 
them, and as Waywassimo bent to his paddle he 
found himself looking down through the clear 
transparent water straight to the bottom of the 
lake, and his heart grew cold with fear as he saw 
that the sands on tlic bo Horn were strewn with 
the bones of those who had perished in crossing. 

Waywassimo would have turned back, but 



12 The White Canoe 

v/lien lie looked at Leelina he saw no terror in 
her face, but she Hfted her finger again and again 
to her Hps, and smiled at him across the billows. 
Then Waywassimo's courage and faith came back, 
and as he bent again to the paddle he found that 
whenever the White Canoe touched the foaming, 
angry waves they melted away and left a smooth' 
path before it. 

Now he saw other canoes likewise struggling 
among the waves. Some toiled for a little while 
and then sank out of sight ; others kept on, bat- 
tling among the billows, and a few, like their own, 
foimd the waters calmed before them. Only the 
canoes of little children met no v/aves but the 
waters parted before them, leaving a luminous 
pathway straight to the Land of Souls. 

So Waywassimo learned that it was according 
to their faith, and all fear and uncertainty de- 
parted from him and with steady arm he dipped 
his paddle and smiled back at Leelina across the 
water. 

Now an island seemed to rise out of the lake 
before his eyes and an invisible hand was steer- 
ing him straight toward its sloping shores, on 



And Other Legends 13 

and on until a great wave swept the canoe liigh 
upon the sandy beach. Looking up he found Lee- 
lina before him, and she held out her hands to 
him, with a smile on her lips and the light of 
love in her starry eyes. 

"It is the Happy Island," she said. ''The Great 
JMaster of Life has permitted us to tarry here 
awhile," and taking his hand she led him along 
the shore and into the forest. 

Long they lingered on the Happy Island, Way- 
wassimo and his love, Leelina. Together they 
wandered over green and sunny meadows, 
through the dim and shadowy woodlands, listened 
to the songs of gladness, to the robin and the blue 
bird ; heard the wind among the branches, heard 
the rippling of the waters, heard their own 
licarts throb together while they sat in blissful 
silence, with the smiling heavens above them and 
the smiling earth around them. The icy breath of 
Kab-bi-bon-ok-ka never blew upon that island, 
not a snowfiake from the Northland, not an ice- 
crust on the brooklets, but drowsy, dreamy, end- 
less Summer reigned upon the Happy Island. 

Waywassimo knew not how long they lingered 



14 The White Canoe 

there together, for light of sun and moon there 
was none, naught to measure days in passing, 
naught to mark the night and morning, but all 
was one long radiant noonday and the smiles 
and sighs of lovers were ics light, its air, its sun- 
shine. 

At last there came a day when a voice spoke 
to Waywassimo out of the perfumed breezes, say- 
ing: 

*'The desire of your soul has been given you. 
You have seen Leelina and had a foretaste of the 
joy which shall be yours when you are summoned 
to the Land of Ponemah. But the time is not 
yet. It is ordained that you return to your people 
and rule them for many years. Not in sadness 
and sorrow shall you dwell among them, but as 
my messenger of joy and peace. Leelina remains 
to await your coming; you will find her still 
young and beautiful when at last I call you from 
the Land of Snows." 

Then Waywassimo awoke and found himself 
still in the Valley of Bitterness and Tears. 



i» 




^ 




And Other Legends 15 



M 



THE REVENGE OF UNK-TE-HA. 

An Ojibway Legend of the Flood. 

ANY ages ago when the world was new 
and the gods and men dwelt together 
upon it, the mighty Wa-zha-wand, who had cre- 
ated earth, and air, and water, placed three great 
Manitous to rule over them and rested from his 
labors. 

Then Unk-te-ha, the Manitou of Waters, called 
together the tribes of men and laid thus his com- 
mands upon them : 

"Of all the fish that are in the waters shalt thou 
have for food. Of all the fowl that are on the 
marshlands, and of every creature belonging to 
my kingdom shalt thou have to eat. Each day 
shalt thou take for each day's need, but never in 
distrust of the goodness of Unk-te-ha shalt thou 
take food for the morrow, and never in wanton- 
ness shalt thou take the life of any creature be- 



i6 The White Canoe 

longing to the Kingdom of Waters. Hear and 
heed, lest the anger of Unk-te-ha come upon you 
and he slay you." 

Now Nanabozho was a great fisherman. Every 
creature of the Under-Water World knew him, 
and when he went forth on the Gitchee-Gumee in 
his canoe of birch-bark up from the green and 
shadowy depths came the pike and the sturgeon, 
came all the fish in the Kingdom of Waters, and 
sported about the canoe and played with the bait 
of Nanabozho. 

Cunning were they and very active, and as 
they dived and darted in the water they dared the 
skill of Nanabozho, and mocked and taunted when 
he could not take them. 

Then the anger of Nanabozho arose strong 
against them, and taking his magic line of twisted 
cedar he threw it far across the water. Quickly 
the fishes dropped to the floor of the Gitchee- 
Gumee, for they feared the magic line of Nana- 
bozho. But the line was long and soon it found 
them, and without hook or bait it drew them, 
until Nanabozho covered the bottom of his Ghee- 
maun with the panting and helpless bodies of his 



And Other Legends 17 

tormentors. The dropping sun warned him that 
night was coming on, and when he drew his 
canoe upon the shore, he found that it contained 
more fish than he could eat in many days. 

At evening, when Unk-te-ha came and walked 
along the sandy beach he found the canoe of 
Nanabozho and in it the fish that he had taken. 
Then the anger of Unk-te-ha was great against 
Nanabozho, because he had forgotten his com- 
mands, and he determined to punish him, that 
never again should a mortal forget or defy the 
wrath of the God of Waters. 

Long Unk-te-ha pondered how he might take 
Nanabozho and make of him an example to the 
people forever, for he was wise and great and 
very cunning ; more cunning by far than any crea- 
ture in all the Upper World, and Unk-te-ha knew 
of none in all his kingdom wise and great 
enough to capture Nanabozho. 

So he called a council of his people that they 
might talk together and choose one of their 
number for the task. At his command the White 
Loon, the door-keeper of the Under- Water World, 
went forth and bade the people come to the coun- 



1 8 The White Canoe 

cil of Unk-te-ha. The Ken-o-zha, the Na-ma, 
and all the fish that had sported about the canoe 
of Nanabozho, and by their taunting made him 
forget the commands of Unk-te-ha, came to the 
council called to bring him to punishment. 

Long ^hey talked and wise their councils, for 
much they feared and much they hated Nana- 
bozho, and while they talked and while they pon- 
dered, up from the rivers and marshlands, like 
a mist arose the smoke of their Puk-wa-nas. But 
naught came of the great council, for when the 
pipes were cold and empty, when the smoke had 
all ascended, not one had been found who would 
undertake to capture Nanabozho. 

Then the council of Unk-te-ha was dissolved 
and the anger of the Manitou of Waters was hot 
against his own people for their cowardice as it 
was against his enemy, Nanabozho, and Unk-te-ha 
said: "No mortal shall forget my commands or 
defy my laws, for if one goes unpunished then 
will all my kingdom be despoiled. Nanabozho 
shall be taken though I send all the waters of the 
Gitchee-Gumee to overwhelm him." 

On the same day as Nanabozho was baking a 



And Other Legends 19 

fish before his camp-fire at evening, a Wawonaissa 
flew into a bush near by and called to him : 

"Leave your fish and flee to the mountains, 
Nanabozho, for behold! the great Unk-te-ha is 
angry, and he has sent the waters of the Gitchee- 
Gumee to overwhelm you." 

Nanabozho looked toward the spot where he 
had left his canoe, and he saw the waters rising 
high upon the shore, then he knew that the 
Wawonaissa had spoken truly, and that the 
Under-Water ]\Ianitou sought to destroy him. 
So he left his fish on the twigs before the fire, 
and as he fled he looked behind him and saw the 
oncoming waters sweep over the spot and put out 
his camf)-fire. 

Far up the hillside he found a wolverine bur- 
rowing into the earth. 

"Hide me, hide me, my little brother!" Nana- 
bozho cried. "Hide me deep in the ground, for 
I have angered the great Unk-te-ha, and he has 
sent the waters of the Gitchee-Gumee to over- 
whelm me !" 

"Come inside, my brother," the wolverine re- 
plied, "and I will hide you so deep that no crea- 



20 The White Canoe 

ture of the Under- Water World will ever find 
you." 

Into the burrow went Nanabozho with his little 
brother, the wolverine, and they dug deep into 
the heart of the mountain, casting the earth be- 
hind them so that the opening was filled against 
the pursuing waters. But all in vain was the 
labor of the wolverine, for soon little rivulets 
penetrated the burrow, and Nanabozho knew that 
he would be imprisoned and starved by the up- 
rising waters, if he was not drowned. 

Then he besought the wolverine to open a way 
for him on the other side of the mountain, as far 
as might be from the shore of the Gitchee-Gumee, 
but when Nanabozho looked out again upon the 
earth, he saw that not upon the highest moun- 
tain could he find safety. Over all the world 
spread the waters of the Gitchee-Gumee, creeping 
through the valleys, rising along the hillsides, and 
in all the earth there was not a spot where they 
might not find him. 

Nanabozho knew that all his wisdom and 
all his skill would be required to save 
him from the anger of the God of Waters. 



And Other Legends 21 

Then he remembered thai not he alone 
would suffer, but all his friends of the 
Upper World, so he determined to call a 
council of his people, as the God of Waters had 
done, that they might conspire together to save 
themselves and defeat the revenge of Unk-te-ha. 

So he sent the flying turtle, the messenger of 
the Ojibways, abroad over the land with a mes- 
sage to his people that they meet him in council. 

Quickly they came at the summons of Nana- 
bozlio, for was he not their elder brother, wise 
and great and good to look upon, the beloved of 
the Great Spirit ? From the meadows and the low- 
lands, from the forests and the prairies, came the 
friends of Nanabozho, — came the deer, the Skan- 
odo, came the squirrel and the rabbit, came the 
elk and the bison — all the friends of Nanabozho 
swiftly came at his summons. 

Then, as he filled a pipe with fragrant leaves 
and gave it to them, thus spake Nanabozho : 

"Hear me, O my brothers, for little time is left 
for speaking. I have angered Unk-te-ha, the 
Manitou of Waters, and because there was none 
in his kingdom strong and brave enough to take 



22 The White Canoe 

Nanabozho, he has sent all the waters of the 
Gitchee-Gumee to overwhelm him. But behold, 
O my brothers, not I alone must suffer but every 
creature of the Upper World must perish that 
Unk-te-ha be avenged. Shall it be so, my broth- 
ers? Are we not yet strong and wise and cim- 
ning enough to defeat the wrath of the God of 
Waters and save ourselves? If you will but help 
me we will show to the tribes of men that Unk- 
te-ha is not a mighty Manitou but a Shau-go- 
dai-a, who is not able to take the friends of 
Nanabozho in battle. Let us built a raft, my 
brothers, great and strong, so that every creature 
of the Upper World may come upon it and be 
saved." 

Even as he spake they replied with one voice 
of assent : "It shall be as our brother Nanabozho 
wills. Let us build a raft which wnll float in 
safety all the friends of Nanabozho, that they 
may mock the anger of L'nk-te-ha!" 

There upon the top of the mountain they built 
the raft. Strong and firm they made it, and 
when the rising waters lifted it from the summit 
on it were gathered in safety all the friends 



And Other Legends 23 

of Nanabozho, all the animals of the forests and 
the prairies, but no creature of his own kind was 
with Nanabozho on the raft. 

Many days they floated on the waters and 
around the raft came the people of the kingdom 
of Unk-te-ha to mock and taunt them, for now 
that there were no lands to hunt in, no fields of 
rice, and corn, and berries, they hoped that 
Nanabozho and his friends would starve on the 
raft which they had made. But it was not so, 
for still they had the magic line of twisted cedar, 
and when they cast it into the waters, they drew 
up fish so that they had food enough and to 
spare. 

By and by the friends of Nanabozho wearied 
of the raft and longed for the forests and prairies 
of their own country. Then they determined to 
send one of their number, that he might dive 
into the water and find how far the land lay be- 
low. The otter was the first to make the effort, 
but after remaining long under the water he 
came back without having found any trace of 
land. Again he dived, but though they v/aited 
and watched for him long, he never came back 



24 The White Canoe 

to the raft, for Unk-te-ha lay in wait for him 
and drew him into his lodge in the Under- 
Water World, so that he might carry no mes- 
sages to his brothers on the raft. 

Again Nanabozho and his friends took council 
together and the musk-rat was selected to go in 
search of land. Long he remained under water, 
so long that his brothers on the raft feared that 
he, too, had been captured and carried to the 
lodge of the Under- Water Manitou, but at last 
his dead body appeared floating on the water and 
was drawn up on the raft. 

When Nanabozho examined the body of their 
little brother, he found that the tightly closed 
paws were filled with moist earth. Then he said 
to his friends on the raft: ''Be happy, O my 
brothers, for we are saved. The great Unk-te-ha 
will never call back this flood that we may have 
our own lands to hunt in, our own rivers to fish 
in and our own fields to plant the Mondamin. 
But the great Master of Life has seen our weari- 
ness upon this raft, and has had pity on his peo- 
ple, so he has sent a new earth that we may not 
float forever on this flood of waters." 



And Other Legends 25 

When Nanabozho had ceased speaking, he took 
a bit of earth from the paw of the musk-rat, and, 
rubbing it dry upon the palm of his hand, he held 
it before his lips, and with the breath of his 
mouth blew it far out upon the waters. Then 
before their eyes, where the earth fell, there grew 
up an island large enough to afford a resting place 
for the raft. 

"But what avails this barren island?" the 
brothers of Nanabozho pleaded when once they 
felt the solid earth beneath their feet. "There 
are no forests and prairies, and nothing but fish 
to eat. We are weary, O our elder brother, and 
long for the green forests, the roaring rivers 
and rushing winds of our Northland." 

So they vexed Nanabozho with their complain- 
ing until he made a lodge apart and went into it, 
that by fasting and prayer he might learn of the 
Gitchee Manitou how to relieve his brothers and 
free himself of their repining. 

Six days he remained in the fasting-lodge, 
tasting no food until a Spirit came to him in his 
dreams and told him the will of the Master of 
Life concerning them. On the seventh day Nana- 



26 The White Canoe 

bozho came out of the fasting-lodge and 
asked food of his brothers. When he had 
eaten, he arose and walked to the edge of the 
water, and, taking up a handful of earth, he 
rubbed it dry in the palm of his hand, and, hold- 
ing it before his lips, with the breath of his mouth 
he blew it out upon the water. Where it fell 
there arose other earth and joined to the island, 
and so he walked around the shore blowing hand- 
fuls of earth upon the water, while his brothers 
followed him and watched the island grow. 

Many days Nanabozho worked as the Gitchee- 
Manitou had directed him, stopping to rest 
when he was weary, and eating the food that 
was brought to him when he was hungry, until at 
last the earth stretched behind him farther than 
the eye could see. Then he sent out the Singebis 
that she might go around the island and bring 
back to him word of its size. Each day he sent 
out scouts, and, as it took them longer and longer 
to complete the circuit, he knew how rapidly the 
island grew. 

At last there came a day when the messenger 
did not return, neither the next nor the next, and 



And Other Legends 27 

Nanabozho knew that it had grown to be a great 
land, with broad prairies and mighty forests, with 
rushing rivers and placid lakes, and that his 
brothers who were with him on the raft, were now 
scattered abroad over it never to be gathercvl to- 
gether again. 

While Xanabozho pondered on the strange and 
wonderful thing which had happened, a beautiful 
light began to steal across the sky and drop its 
reflection in the water ; a light such as he had 
never seen before, tender like the glow in the east 
at morning, and trembling like the silver track of 
the moon on the water. Brighter and brighter 
it grew, until it took upon itself a shape like unto 
the curve of his bow of ash wood, and glorious 
with the dyes of all the flowers that grew upon 
the Muskoday in springtime. 

Then, while Nanabozho gazed in awe and won- 
der, the White Loon came floating to him along 
the curve of the many-colored bow, and as she 
sailed straight to his feet, this is the message she 
bore: 

''It is a sign to you, my brother, that the Unk- 
te-ha has forgiven, and that never again will 



28 The White Canoe 

there be enmity between the children of earth 
and the people of the Under-Water World. Cast 
your line into the water and you will find an offer- 
ing from Unk-te-ha, and as long as you shall see 
the many-colored bow in the heavens you will 
know that the Manitou of Waters is your friend." 

Then Nanabozho cast his line into the water 
as the White Loon had directed, but when he 
would pull it in he felt it draw and tighten so that 
all his strength was required to bring it to shore. 
When it was done he found a great fish upon the 
sand at his feet, armored with bone and striped 
like a w^arrior with war paint. It was the Nishe- 
Nama, the King of Fishes, an offering of good- 
will from Unk-te-ha to Nanabozho. 

So Nanabozho stripped the bark from the 
birch trees and made him a ivigwam to live in. 
A bow of ash wood also made he, and with ar- 
rows filled his quiver. Into the forest he went 
once more to hunt the bear, and deer and bison. 
At night he cooked his meat before the camp-fire, 
and smoked his pipe filled with leaves and bark 
of willows. But Nanabozho was lonely, for there 
was no one to hear his stories and smoke a pipe 



And Other Legends 29 

with him beside the camp-fire, and he longed for 
one of his own kind to bear him company. 

Again he built a wigwam apart and went into 
it to fast, that the Master of Life might look upon 
him in his loneliness and send other people to be 
with him upon the earth. 

Six days he fasted and no food passed his lips. 
On the seventh day as he lay on his mat of rushes 
weak with hunger, a voice came to him out of 
the sky, saying: 

"1 have heard your prayers, O Nanabozho, and 
seen your fasting. It is not given me to enter 
the dwellings of men, but you may come to the 
lodge of the Gitchee-Manitou that we may take 
council together how the new earth may be peo- 
pled with those of your own kind." 

As the voice ceased Nanabozho felt himself 
slowly rising into the air until he passed through 
an opening in the heavens and entered the lodge 
of the Gitchee-Manitou. 

Many days lasted the great council of Nana- 
bozho and the Gitclue-Manitou, and many pipes 
they smoked together while the great Master of 
Life told him of the tribes that would be sent on 



30 The White Canoe 

the earth and how he should rule them in love. 
Then, when the council was ended, Nanabozlio 
saw the heavens opened and heard the voice of 
the Master of Life sayng : 

"Go, my son, to a land and a people that will 
be ready for you. Remember all the words I 
have spoken to you that you rule them in kind- 
ness and love. Let war and bloodshed cease, 
and as long as the many-colored bow remains as 
a sign of the peace of Unk-te-ha let there also be 
peace among the tribes of men. Not in your own 
body do I send you back, but as a great White 
Eagle will you return to earth. Far below you, 
where lies a shining spot like a bead of wampum 
on a belt of green, Vv'ill you find the Big-Sea- 
Water. In all the length and breadth of the new 
land which I have made this spot I have kept as 
the home of my chosen people. Here the forests 
are greener, the meadows are fairer ; here are all 
things needful for the life and happiness of my 
people, and from the dawn of Seg-wun, the 
Spring, vmtil the coming of Pe-bo-an, the Win- 
ter, the land is as fair as the smile of the Grca*^^ 
Spirit can make it. Go, my son, and when you 



And Other Legends 31 

reach the shores of the shining Big-Sea- Water, 
pluck from beneath your wings the soft and 
downy feathers, and scatter them on the earth. 
Do all things as I have commanded you, for I 
speak with you face to face no more until you 
come to me in the Islands of the Blessed, in the 
land of Ponemah !" 

Thus Nanabozho left the lodge and council 
t)f the Gitchee-Manitou, and came back to earth 
in the form of a great White Eagle, but as he 
drew near the shores of the Big-Sea- Water he 
saw no sign of the people whom he had been told 
would be there to receive him. Yet Nanabozho 
doubted not, for he knew that the Master of Life 
could not lie ; and, remembering all things that 
he had told him, he plucked the white and downy 
feathers from beneath his v/ings and scattered 
them along the shore. Then he looked behind 
him, where the feathers had fallen to the earth, 
and he saw men and women walking where none 
had been before. And Xanabozho knew that thus 
was fulfilled the promise of the Gitchee-Manitou 
that he should not be left alone, and that thus he 
had sent his chosen people upon the earthy 



32 The White Canoe 

And to-day, along the shores of the Big-Sea- 
Water are the lodges and the camp-fires, the 
hunting-grounds and the corn fields of a peace- 
ful and happy people — the people whom the Great 
Spirit sent to earth on the wings of Nanabozho, 
and we call them the Ojibways. 



11 

,1 



\\\ 



1 



1,1 



Vi.i. ,0 ii'l 




■r 1 lull ''!'' I ■ 

i; 1,1 ,1 :l iMli'.i ' 



u 



And Other Legends 33 



THE DAUGHTERS OF THE STARS. 

WAU-PEE, the White Hawk, Hved alone 
in his lodge in the midst of tlie 
forest. It was not because Wau-pee was old, 
or ugly, or feeble that he lived alone, for he 
was young, and straight, and strong, and many 
of the maidens in the village followed him with 
tender glances wdien he came to join the young 
men in their games and the old men in their coun- 



cils. 



It was only because Wau-pee loved the still- 
ness of the forest better than the chattering of 
women in his wigwam that he cooked his own 
food and kept his own lodge-fire burning. Never 
once did he look back to meet the tender glances 
of the maidens, and never once did he linger in 
the village when the games and councils were 
ended, for his heart w^ent after the rippling waters 
and singing winds and his own wigwam in the 
dim forest 



34 The White Canoe 

When Wau-pee put arrows into his quiver and 
went forth into the forest to hunt, he came not 
home empty-handed. There were skins in his 
lodge, and wampum, and food, and the voices of 
the forest spoke to the soul of the White Hawk, 
so he lived alone, remote from the villages of his 
people, and he was rich and happy. 

But one day there came a change. The sing- 
ing of the wind sounded not so sweet to Wau- 
pee, but mournfully sighed around the wigwam 
until his heart grew heavy with loneliness and he 
longed for a human voice to answer to his own. 
At night sleep departed from his eyelids and he 
lay until morning staring into the darkness and 
longing for the dawn. 

Many days and many nights Wau-pee strug- 
gled with the silence and darkness and with the 
strange unrest which had come upon his spirit; 
then one day he arose at daybreak and said : 'T 
will go to the village and bring back a wife to be 
with me in the wigwam, to laugh and sing and 
make merry, for this loneliness is greater than I 
can bear." 

Then Wau-pee dressed himself in all his rich- 



And Other Legends 35 

est garments, trimmed with wampum, decked 
with feathers, and went into the village to find 
him a wife. But where once they had followed 
him with tender glances, the maidens now looked 
upon him coldly, and not one was found to re- 
spond to his tardy wooing. So Wau-pee left the 
village and turned his face again toward his 
lodge in the forest, but now his heart was heavy 
and the singing of the wind and the laughter of 
the waters drew him not as they had done be- 
fore. 

Longer and lonelier grew the days from dawn 
to darkness, and drearier the nights, for Ne-pah- 
win, the Spirit of Sleep, had departed from the 
lodge of the White Hawk, and now he knew that 
he should not find a wife among the daughters 
of his people and no longer could the voices of 
the forest satisfy. 

Then, one day Wau-pee came to himself and 
found that he was weak and faint with long fast- 
ing and there was nothing to eat in the lodge, so 
he put arrows into his quiver and went forth to 
find food. But his heart was not in the chase, 
and he walked with his head bowed and his eyes 



36 The White Canoe 

bent unheeding on the ground, so that he saw not 
the track of the red deer that crossed his path- 
way and there was nothing to lure him aside or 
tempt the arrows from his quiver. 

At last he came to the end of the forest and 
found himself standing on the border of a beau- 
tiful grassy plain. It was sprinkled with many 
colored flowers, and in the center was a circle 
worn as by the tramping of many feet. Wau- 
pee looked in wonder at the flowery plain, with 
its circling pathway, for he knew that no animals 
of the forest and no creatures of his own kind 
could have made it without leaving some trace of 
their coming and their departure. 

While Wau-pee stood in the edge of the for- 
est gazing at this strange sight, the sound of 
music came faintly to his ears. Not from the 
forest behind him, nor yet from the plain lying 
out before, but dropping from the sky above 
came the sounds, nearer and nearer, silvery and 
sweet, such music as Wau-pee had never heard. 
Now it seemed directly overhead, and as he 
looked up he saw a strange object descending out 
of the heavens ; and, straining his eager eyes, he 



And Other Legends 37 

discerned it to be a great basket in which sat 
twelve women. 

Then Wau-pee remembered the stories the 
old men in the village had told him of the twelve 
Daughters of the Stars ; how a man once having 
looked upon them, never saw beauty in the face 
of another woman, and once having heard the 
alluring music of their voices, never found peace 
on the earth again. Strange stories they had 
told of these beautiful maidens who only came 
to earth to tempt and try the souls of men, but 
who never might wed with mortals or live in the 
country below the stars. 

Straight tow^ard the center of the circle came 
the great basket, and as it drew near Wau-pee 
saw that all the old men had told him of their 
beauty was true, for he had seen none to compare 
with them, not in the villages of his own people 
nor in the lodges of stranger tribes. 

He saw that each maiden carried two slender 
wands tipped w^ith silver balls, and as the basket 
touched the earth they leaped out and danced 
and whirled around the magic circle, striking to- 
gether the balls as they danced. 



38 The White Canoe 

Wilder and wilder grew the dance and more 
alluringly sweet the music. The eyes of the 
maidens glowed under their flying tresses, and 
their voices mingled with the silver clashing of 
the balls. Wau-pee's pulses leaped and the blood 
coursed tingling through his veins. Forgotten 
were the warnings of the old men, forgotten the 
fate of the young men who had suffered their 
hearts to go after the Daughters of the Stars. 
All his soul was consumed with the desire to 
capture one of the dancing maidens and carry 
her away to be his wife and live with him in his 
wigwam in the forest. 

Slowly he crept forward from his hiding place, 
gliding stealthily from tree to tree, until he 
reached a point near the magic circle ; then, as 
the youngest and most beautiful of the maidens 
whirled past him, he sprang toward her with out- 
stretched arms. 

Swift as were his movements, the Daughters 
of the Stars were svv'ifter, and before he could 
reach the magic circle they v;ere all safely in the 
basket and ascending into the sky. 

Sad and disappointed, Wau-pee returned to 



And Other Legends 39 

his lodge to meditate alone upon the beauty of 
the maidens and the sweetness of their voices. 
Next day when he went into the forest he put 
no arrows into his quiver, for the necessity of 
food was forgotten, and the only desire remain- 
ing in the breast of the White Hawk was that he 
might again behold the beautiful Daughters of 
the Stars. 

Straight toward the flowery plain he made his 
way. Hoping to approach nearer the maidens, 
he resolved to use the magic power acquired at 
his first fasting; and, changing himself into the 
form of an opossum, he concealed himself behind 
a fallen log and awaited their coming. 

Again he heard the far, sweet music falling 
from the sky, and then the basket came in sight 
bearing the twelve sisters to their playground on 
the flowery plain. Leaping out of the basket, 
they struck all the silvery balls together until the 
air tingled and vibrated with the sound, and as 
they whirled past his hiding place Wau-pec 
heard the rustling of their garments and caught 
the nearer gleam of their starry eyes. 

Stealing from behind the fallen log, he made 



40 The White Canoe 

his way cautiously toward the circle, but sud- 
denly the music stopped with a crash, and before 
the White Hawk could advance or retreat the 
maidens had leaped into the car and were rising 
into the air. 

Again Wau-pee returned in sorrow to his 
lodge. Now he had looked longer upon the Star- 
Maidens, and all beauty had departed from the 
earth. There was naught in the voices of the 
forest, in the rushing of the rivers, in the echoes 
of the mountains, or the smiling, silent valleys to 
satisfy the soul of the White Hawk. Only when 
the stars of evening trembled in the sky above 
him did he gaze enrapt and dreaming of the 
tender, radiant beauty of the Daughters of the 
Starland, daughters of the chieftain O-jis-hon-da. 

Another night Wau-pee spent beside his lodge- 
fire planning how he might outw^it them and cap- 
ture one of the maidens to be his wife. 

Again he left his bow and arrows in the wig- 
wam and went out to the flowery plain beyond 
the forest. As he looked about, seeking how 
he might hide himself near the magic circle, 
he beheld the trunk of a dead tree standing 



And Other Legends 41 

beside the pathway, and about it were some 
field-mice scampering in and out the hollow 
spaces. Then the thought came to Wau-pee 
to take upon himself the form of one of 
these small creatures that he might easier ap- 
proach the maidens unobserved. 

As on other days the basket descended heralded 
by the music of the silver balls. But now the 
Daughters of the Stars had grown very cautious 
and they did not begin their dance at once, but 
looked about to see if there might be a spy upon 
their movements. There was nothing in sight 
save the trunk of a dead tree with the mice scam- 
pering about it,, but as if to make sure that noth- 
ing larger could be hidden within, the youngest 
of the sisters approached and struck it a blow 
with her silver ball. And then there sprang up 
at her side a tall young man, who seized her in 
his arms and bore her away into the forest. In 
vain she called to her sisters for help, for they, 
seeing that they could not save her, sprang into 
the car and arose quickly into the air. 

Very tenderly Wau-pee comforted the Star- 
Maiden as he bore her away to his lodge in the 



42 The White Canoe 

forest. The wands with their silver balls he con- 
cealed beneath a heap of skins, that there might 
be nothing to remind her of the life from which 
he had taken her, and then with gentle wooing 
he won the heart of the Star-Maiden until she 
became reconciled to have for her husband the 
brave and handsome White Hawk. 

Very happy were the lovers. Wau-pee taught 
the Star-Maiden how to cook their food and dress 
the skins, and to make beautiful their garments 
with quills, and dyes, and wampum; and as she 
sat beside him and listened to his stories while she 
worked, she forgot her sisters in Starland and the 
magic circle on the flowery plain. 

But bye and bye, when many moons had passed 
Wau-pee went again to the forest to hunt, and 
the Star-Maiden was left alone in the lodge. 
Then her thoughts returned to her sisters and to 
her aged father O-jis-hon-da, who had sorely 
missed her and grieved for her many days. Very 
long and lonely were the hours while Wau-pee 
was awav in the forest, for there were no voices 
to speak to the maiden, and more and more her 



And Other Legends 43 

heart went after her own people and her own 
home in the distant Starland. 

One day she found the silver balls, w^hich Wau- 
pee had hidden when first he brought her to his 
lodge. When she struck them together and their 
music smote her ear, all her soul awoke with 
longing, and she knew that the decree of the 
Master of Life must be fulfilled, and that it was 
not given her to live among mortals or to find 
happiness below the Stars. 

Day after day Wau-pee left the lodge with his 
bow and arrows, and day after day the maiden 
remained alone with only the music of the silver 
balls for company. When Wau-pee returned at 
evening he found her moving with slow step and 
eyes heavy as a sky overcast with rain-clouds. 

Thus passed the Moon of Snow-Shoes, then 
the ice melted in the lakes and rivers, and the 
snow disappeared from the sheltered coves and 
hollows in the forest. Along the streams appeared 
the tender green of sprouting rushes and the trees 
in the forest flushed with swelling buds. Seg- 
wun, the Spring, had breathed upon the meadows 
and the song of O-wa-issa was heard in the land. 



44 The White Canoe 

Then the maiden remembered the flowery plain 
where she had danced with her sisters through 
many Summers, and her heart grew sick with 
longing and her eyes heavy with weeping, so that 
when Wau-pee came home from the hunt he 
found no kettle bubbling over the fire and no fish 
baking on the coals. 

One day after the White Hawk had left the 
lodge the maiden went out to the meadows and 
returning with an armful of rushes she fell to 
braiding a basket. All day her fingers moved 
swiftly, in and out among the rushes, weaving 
them close and strong, and while she worked she 
sang softly to herself, the same strange, alluring 
music to which she had danced with her sisters 
on the flowery plain. Then when evening came 
she hid the basket under a heap of skins and 
hung the kettle over the lodge-fire, that there 
might be food ready against Wau-pee's return. 
There were no tears that night in the eyes of the 
Star-Maiden as they shone on the White Hawk 
from the shadows beyond the lodge-fire, but they 
glowed strange and mysterious in the dusk, 



And Other Legends 45 

thrilling but remote as the lamps that shone in 
the sky above them. 

On the next day and the next, after Wau-pee 
had gone out into the forest, the Star-Maiden 
brought forth the basket of rushes from its hid- 
ing place and braided and sang until the coming 
of evening. At last the basket was finished and 
for many days it lay hidden under the heap of 
skins, for now that all things were ready for her 
departure the heart of the Star-Maiden yearned 
over her brave and handsome husband, and she 
longed to carry him with her to her own home in 
Starland. But this was not permitted her, and 
one balmy day in the Moon of Leaves, after Wau- 
pee had gone away into the forest, she brought 
forth the basket and hurried with it through 
the forest. Running, stumbling over stumps and 
stones and roots of trees, she made her way to 
the flowery plain. Straight to the center of the 
circle she bore the basket, and, seating herself in 
it, she struck together the silver balls. Once, 
twice, thrice, then she lifted her voice in the 
strange, sweet chant which had entranced the ears 
of the White Hawk on that first day when he be- 



46 The White Canoe 

held the Daughters of the Stars descending to 
earth. 

Loud and clear rang her voice, mingling with 
the crash of the silver balls, and as she sang she 
forgot the brave and handsome White Hawk, for- 
got the lodge that she had left in the forest, forgot 
everything save her sisters and her father, the old 
chief of Starland, whom she had not seen for 
many moons. 

Now Wau-pee, weary and unsuccessful in the 
hunt, was returning to his lodge, when suddenly 
there came to him on the wind the sound of dis- 
tant music. Then his feet halted in the forest 
pathway, and his heart stood still in his breast, 
for he knew it to be the same alluring music which 
heralded the arrival and departure of the Daugh- 
ters of the Stars. But now there was only one 
voice singing, the voice which for twelve moons 
had made music in his own wigwam. 

Fleet as the swiftest deer, Wau-pee sped 
toward the plain, but when he reached the border 
of the forest he saw a car in which sat one woman 
ascending into the sky, and then he knew that it 
was as the old men had told him and that a 



And Other Legends 47 

Daughter of the Stars might never Hve upon the 
earth. In vain he lifted his voice in entreaty to 
her to return. Higher and higher arose the basket 
and fainter and fainter grew the music which fell 
from it, until the last sounds melted away into 
silence and the receding speck disappeared from 
the sky. 

Then Wau-pee returned to his lodge lonely and 
sorrowful as he had been before the coming of 
the Star-Maiden. He went out no more to fish 
and hunt, and again Ne-pah-win departed from 
his wigwam. 

Very happy for awhile was the maiden with her 
sisters, so happy that there came no thought of 
Wau-pee and his lodge in the deep forest. In 
their magic car they journeyed over the kingdom 
of O-jis-hon-da, and all the plains of heaven were 
illumined in honor of the return of the Daughter 
of the Stars, so that the people on the earth below 
marveled at the wonderful brilliance of the eve- 
ning sky. But bye and bye the grieving of Wau- 
pee reached her from his lonely lodge in the 
forest, and she knew that he was wasted with 
famine and weak with fasting, and that already 



48 The White Canoe 

Pau-guk, the Death Phantom, was lurking near 
him in the shadows. 

Then the Star-Maiden grew lonely and sad, 
and she sang no more with her sisters, neither 
did she go with them on their journeys over the 
plains of Starland. Her heart was with her hus- 
band on the earth, and she longed to be with him 
and to comfort him in his loneliness. 

One day 0-jis-hon-da called his daughter to 
him and said: 'T have beheld your sadness, my 
daughter, and it is my will that all about me 
should be happy. It is not permitted that a Daugh- 
ter of the Stars should live upon the earth, neither 
may you now be satisfied in Starland without 
your lover. Take the basket and silver balls and 
go back to earth and bring the White Hawk to 
live with us in the Land of the Stars. But tell 
him that as an offering for his bride he must bring 
to us, not blankets, and skins, and wampum, but 
he must bring to us one of every creature that 
walks or flies or crawls upon the earth. The 
basket is small and they are many, but if the 
White Hawk is wise enough to become the son 
of O-jis-hon-da he will find a way." 



And Other Legends 49 

Then the Daughter of the Stars took the basket 
and did as she was commanded, but her heart was 
very heavy, for she knew not how Wau-pee could 
bring the offering which her father required. 

She found him sitting in his lodge weak and 
faint from fasting, but when she looked into his 
eyes, her own wet and gleaming, and gave to him 
the message of O-jis-hon-da, his gaunt form 
straightened and he said : "Fear not, Ne-ne- 
moo-sha, it shall be as he wills. I go to fulfill his 
commands, and we shall be separated no more. 
Wait for me with patience, and before another 
moon shall wane I will carry to your father one 
of every creature that walks, or flies, or crawls 
below the stars." 

Then Wau-pee arose and ate the food which 
the Star-Maiden set before him, and prepared for 
the work that was assigned him. New arrows he 
made for his quiver, keen and strong and winged 
with feathers; traps and snares he made, and 
long lines of twisted cedar. Along the streams 
and lakes he hid the snares and laid the lines, and 
swift on the trail of the animals in the forest he 
sped with his bow and arrows. 



50 The White Canoe 

Well did Wau-pee, the White Hawk, work, and 
well did he use all his skill and cunning, and every 
night when he came home to his lodge he brought 
beaks, and wings, and skins, and claws of the crea- 
tures that he had taken. When the Star-Maiden 
beheld what he w^as doing she knew^ that it was 
true, as she had told her father, and that Wau- 
pee was w'ise and great enough to become the son 
of the Chief of the Stars. 

At last the work was finished and Wau-pee and 
the Star-Maiden were taken up into the skies 
with the trophies which he had gathered, and 
when O-jis-hon-da saw how cunningly had been 
fulfilled his commands, he said : "Welcome to the 
Land of the Stars, my son, to a place among my 
people and to rule over them in my stead. The 
great Master of Life did not bless me with a son 
and to the husband of my youngest and best loved 
daughter it is given to become the ruler of the 
Land of the Stars." 

Then O-jis-hon-da made a great feast and 
called his people together that they might cele- 
brate the marriage of his daughter and behold the 
strange things w^hich her husband had brought 



And Other Legends 51 

from the country below the stars. Forth through 
all his dominions went messengers bearing wands 
of willow, and in great companies they came to 
the feast, gorgeous in feathers and paint and belts 
of wampum, to do honor to O-jis-hon-da, and to 
celebrate the marriage of his daughter. 

When they had eaten of the food that O-jis- 
hon-da had prepared for them, the twelve 
Daughters of the Stars took up their silver wands, 
and striking the balls together all the people 
danced and whirled about the plains of heaven 
until those on the earth looked up and said, "Be- 
hold, the stars are falling !'' and where the flowing 
locks and floating garments of O-jis-hon-da left a 
shining trail of light behind him, they said, "It 
is Ish-koo-dah, the comet." 

Wearied of the dance, they sat down upon the 
ground to rest, and the daughters of O-jis-hon-da 
brought bark of willow and tobacco and filled 
their pipes for smoking. Then Wau-pee brought 
into their midst the basket filled with the trophies 
he had gathered, and at the command of O-jis- 
hon-da, distributed them to the people. To one 
he gave a claw, to another a beak, to another a 



52 The White Canoe 

wing; as his hand found them in the basket, the 
White Hawk distributed them among the people. 

Then a strange and confusing thing happened. 
As the guests received their tokens from the hand 
of Wau-pee, in the twinkhng of an eye they were 
changed to birds and beasts and creeping things 
and fled away from the feast of O-jis-hon-da, 
away even from the Land of the Stars back to the 
earth whence the trophies were taken. 

When Wau-pee saw what had happened and 
knew that he was alone with his bride in the Land 
of the Stars, he said : ''Behold, my beloved, we 
will not follow them back to earth, where there 
is cold and darkness, and famine and pestilence, 
and where death at last will divide us. I have 
won you according to the will of O-jis-hon-da to 
be my wife and to live with me forever. This is 
a sign, my beloved," and he caught in his palm 
two tears that dropped from her eyes. "Behold 
one is for me and one for thee. We go not back 
to earth, but forever remain in the heavens side 
by side." 

And to this day there is seen among the serene 
and shining lights of heaven two stars set side by 



And Other Legends 53 

side, that those of eartfi who look upon them 
may learn from the story of Wau-pee and his 
bride, that not Here nor Hereafter, may the souls 
of those who love truly be divided. 



54 The White Canoe 



THE ORIGIN OF THE ROBIN. 

/^ NCE upon a time there lived in the coun- 
try of the Ojibways, an old man who had 
one son. Now he had been a great warrior 
in the days when he led his people in battle, and 
many of the enemies' strong men had he slain. 
Fleet of foot was he also, so that only the deer 
of the forest could out-run him ; strong of arm 
was he, and when in their games the young men 
wrestled together there was none in all the tribe 
able to stand before him. 

So the pride of the old man was very great, 
and when at last age came upon him and dimmed 
his eye, and withered his arm, and made his feet 
to halt where once they had gone so swiftly, he 
sat alone and sad in his lodge, and thought of the 
triumphs of his youth. Then his eyes turned 
toward the son of his old age, and his heart 
yearned that in him might be restored the glories 




r 







II 11'^ 

'ill h'-- 



i'v,ii 'I U,l 



I. I 



t , I 



And Other Legends 55 

of the years that had departed. And as the youth 
grew the father's ambition grew with him, until 
naught was left in the old man's heart save a fierce 
and impatient longing to see this his son fulfill all 
his desires and become a mighty man among his 
people. 

Now, a kind and gentle lad was the son of the 
old warrior, who well deserved his father's love ; 
but not in battle would he lead his people, and not 
in the sports of the young men would he excel, 
for the strength of the father's arm, the swiftness 
of the father's foot, and the courage of the fa- 
ther's heart, had not descended to this his son. 
Mild and gentle as a woman was he, with eyes 
like a faw^n's and a countenance beautiful to look 
on, but only when driven by the father's upbraid- 
ings could he be induced to join the young men 
of the village in their ball play and wrestling, 
or follow them in the hunt. 

But still the old warrior nursed his ambition 
over the lodge-fire and looked forward to the 
time when his son would make his first fast, for 
even though he lacked swiftness, and strength, 
and courage, if so be he possessed endurance, he 



56 The White Canoe 

might fast longer than any other lad of the tribe, 
and so win the favor of the great Master of Life, 
who would make him a leader among his people. 
At last the long looked for time arrived, and 
the father's heart grew hot with anxiety that his 
son, who had so sorely disappointed his hopes, 
might have strength and endurance for the ordeal 
before him. So he built him a fasting-lodge apart 
from the village on the bank of a small stream, 
and spreading a mat upon the floor, he left him 
with many exhortations to courage and endur- 
ance. 

Day after day, and night after night the lad 
lay on the mat with his face covered, and every 
day the father came to encourage him, and tell 
of the honor and renown that would be his if he 
was strong and kept his fast for twelve days. 
At night the youth's dreams were strange and 
fitful, but nothing foretold the greatness which 
his father coveted. Weak, and faint, and hag- 
gard he grew with the long fast, and when his 
father came on the ninth day he found him prone 
on the mat and half-dead with hunger. Feebly 
he plead with his father that he might be allowed 



And Other Legends 57 

to break his fast, for that night in his dreams 
the Spirits had foretold of disaster if he per- 
sisted in the ambitious undertaking. 

But the father hardened his heart to the lad's 
pleading and to the warning of the Spirits, while 
he bade him keep his fast but one day longer. 
Every lad in the village had fasted nine days, and 
what availed it for a weakling like himself to do 
no better? He craved great gifts from the Master 
of Life, and if he would have them, he must make 
a great sacrifice. It was only because he was 
weak and cowardly that he begged for food. Only 
one day more and perhaps the Great Spirit would 
give him strength for another and still another, 
then he would go back to the village honored 
above all his companions and respected by the 
old men. Only one day more! and the old man 
turned away, leaving the lad lying on his mat in 
the fasting-lodge. 

Then the father determined that not because of 
his yielding should the youth fail in his endeavor, 
so not the next day nor the next did he go to the 
fasting-lodge without the village, but on the morn- 
ing of the twelfth day he awoke with a strange 



^8 The White Canoe 

foreboding in his heart for the lad whom he had 
left alone so long in his weakness and hunger, 
and, taking food, he hurried away to the lodge on 
the bank of the stream. 

As the old man approached he heard voices 
within, and, drawing nearer, he recognized the 
voice of his son speaking to himself. Cautiously 
he approached, and lifting the curtain before the 
door, he saw the lad standing in the center of the 
lodge painting his body with red paint and speak- 
ing as if to an invisible listener while he worked : 

"The ambition of my father has driven away 
the Good Spirits," the lad said, "but I have 
obeyed, and the Great iMaster of Life will not let 
me suffer longer. He has called me to another 
existence, where food and shelter will be pro- 
vided for me, and where my pathway will be light 
as air. Not in leaping and running, not in war 
and bloodshed could I win honor and renown, so 
he has given wings to my halting feet, and or- 
dered my life in ways of happiness and peace." 

"My son, my son! Comfort of my old age, 
leave me not !'' the old man cried, dropping on his 
knees before the bov. 



And Other Legends 59 

For a moment the youth looked down upon 
his father with pity in his eyes, then he said : 

''Regret me not, Kne-ha, my father ; it was not 
given me to be a great hunter and warrior, and 
for you there remained disappointment and bit- 
terness. The Great Spirit creates us as he thinks 
best, and not by long fasting and prayer may we 
change our condition in life and turn aside his 
will concerning us. Sorrow not for me, for I shall 
be happy ; neither fear my anger, for in token of 
my good will you will always find me near the 
dwellings of men. I shall be their friend and shall 
become to them a harbinger of joy and peace." 

As he spoke, he spread the bright vermillion 
dyes over his breast and shoulders as far as he 
could reach, then, lifting his arms above his head, 
he disappeared through the smoke-flue to be seen 
no more ; but outside on the tallest lodge pole 
perched a robin red-breast caroling a new song 
among the melodies of the birds. And from that 
day to this, the 0-pe-chee, the robin, has been 
the friend of mankind, making his home near 
their dwellings and receiving his food at their 
hands, and none is found cruel enough to turn an 
arrow against him. 



6o The White Canoe 



THE ENCHANTED MOCCASINS. 

TT was many years before Me-sha-way, the 
Little Elk, knew that there were any other 
people in the world beside himself and his 
sister, Yo-yo-hon-to. It mattered very little to 
Me-sha-way, for he was never lonely: the birds 
in the trees sang to him, the animals in the forest 
played with him, the stars in the sky shone on him, 
and all the broad and beautiful earth was made 
for Me-sha-way and his sister, Yo-yo-hon-to. 

Then there were the Spirits of the Air that 
spoke to him when he was alone in the forest. 
Out of the wandering breezes that stirred the pine 
trees, out of the vast silence around him, the 
Spirits of the Air whispered strange things to the 
soul of the Little Elk, things that moved, and 
calmed, and thrilled him, but things for which 
the tongue of Me-sha-way knew no speech nor 
language. 



H 



f 



i •■ 



' 1 ' 

' 1 


' r 
II 

1 



1 1 



r ! 



'I. 





1 


i M 



li THE ENCHAXTED MOCCASINS 



And Other Legends 6i 

Also, there were the Ne-ba-navv-baigs, the 
Spirits of the Water, and sometimes the eyes of 
Me-sha-\vay had ahnost seen them when he 
looked long into the shadowy depths of the placid 
lakes. Sometimes he had caught the glitter of the 
wampum on their garments as they danced and 
sported in the rapids, sometimes he had heard 
their voices in the roar of the cataract and the 
surging of the torrents, and always as he sat be- 
side the falls in the river and looked into the 
swirling mists that arose from them, he could 
see tresses of their floating hair and tints of their 
rainbow colored garments. 

Then there was the sandy beach where the 
Puk-wud-jies danced. True, ]\Ie-sha-way had 
never seen them, but sometimes when he sat long 
on moonlight nights, awaiting their coming, he 
had heard faint sounds of distant music in the air 
around and above him, and he knew they were 
not far away, and when he returned to the sand 
beach in the morning, he found the prints of many 
tiny feet showing where Ihey had held their 
revels after he grew weary and fell asleep. 

\Mien Winter came upon the land and drove the 



62 The White Canoe 

birds of the forest and the marshes away to the 
Southland, the Puk-wud-jies danced no more on 
the sandy beach, and the rivers and lakes were 
roofed with ice, so that Me-sha-way saw no signs 
of the rainbow garments of the Ne-ba-naw-baigs, 
for they had gone to their warm safe lodges in the 
Under-Water World. 

Then Yo-yo-hon-to drew the curtain of skins 
close over the lodge door to shut out the icy blast, 
and that jNIe-sha-way might not grow lonely, she 
told him stories while she taught him to string 
his bow and wing his arrows that he might go out 
into the winter forest and find for them food. 

At first Yo-yo-hon-to's stories were all about 
the birds and the beasts, the wind and the stars, 
the Spirits of the Air and Water, and all the mys- 
terious things of the Here and the Hereafter. She 
showed him the shining pathway across the 
heavens at night where the ghosts of the departed 
pass back and forth from earth to the King- 
dom of Ponemah. She told him of the rainbow 
on the clouds by day, and that it is the Hereafter 
of the flowers, where all that have bloomed on 
earth are taken to bloom in the sky. She told 



And Other Legends 63 

him of the War of the Winds and the Council of 
the Stars. Many stories Yo-yo-hon-to told to her 
brother, the Little Elk, so that he did not miss the 
birds from the forest nor the flowers from the 
meadows and forgot that the days were cold and 
dark. 

As Me-sha-way grew from childhood into man- 
hood there was a change in the stories of Yo-yo- 
hon-to. Now she told him of the great world 
which lay many days' journey from their lodge, 
where tribes of his own people lived together 
in villages. She told him of great forests and 
mighty rivers, of broad plains and green meadows 
such as he had never seen. Strange stories she 
told him of a Great Water where all the rivers 
and all the streams in the world came together, 
where one might paddle his canoe for many days 
without coming to the end of it, and where he 
might fish for many moons without taking all 
the fish that were in it. She told him of the lodge 
of the Under- Water ]\Ianitou which was beneath 
the Big- Sea- Water, and how when the God of 
Waters was angry, all tlie waves arose in fury 
before the breath of his wrath, so that everything 



64 The White Canoe 

upon the face of the Great Water was destroyed. 
But most of all she told him of life in the vil- 
lages, how they built their lodges, how they made 
and decked their garments, of their wars and their 
hunting, of their feasts and their councils. 

Very wonderful were the stories of Yo-yo- 
hon-to, and to encourage her in talking, Me-sha- 
way heaped the pine cones on the lodge-fire and 
turned the logs, sending the sparks in showers up 
the smoke-flue, until at last Yo-yo-hon-to grew 
weary, and wrapping herself in her blanket, lay 
down to sleep. 

Then Me-sha-way sat alone in the lodge, but 
he forgot to keep the fire burning, and while he 
mused it sputtered and died into ashes. Then 
Ne-pah-win stole into the lodge and touched his 
eyelids, and he, too, lay down on his bed of skins 
to sleep. As he slept he dreamed strange dreams 
of the people he had never seen, and of life in the 
far-off villages. He dreamed of the wars and the 
hunting, of the feasts and the dancing, and some- 
times there came visions of maidens like Yo-yo- 
lion-to, only younger and fairer than she, and 
lheir hair was as the floating tresses of the Ne-ba- 



And Other Legends 65 

naw-baigs, and their eyes bright and tender like 
the stars of evening. 

As the days went by Yo-yo-hon-to saw that Me- 
sha-way was growing moody and unhappy. He 
went no more to hunt and fish, but walked many 
miles through the forest, and rowed many days on 
the lake without taking fish or game. At night he 
asked no more for stories, but sat gazing silently 
into the fire until Yo-yo-hon-to laid down on her 
bed and slept, and sometimes when she awoke in 
the grey light of the morning, she saw him still 
sitting over the dead lodge-fire. 

Then Yo-yo-hon-to knew that the time was near 
at hand of which the Shau-go-da-ya, the Old 
Woman, had told her when she sent them away to 
live alone in the Northland, the time when Me- 
sha-way must return to their people, and when 
many strange things should befall him. But Yo- 
yo-hon-to thought on it in her heart and kept 
still, for it was forbidden her to speak to Me-sha- 
way, and only the Shau-go-da-ya could tell him 
when the time was fully come. 

At last Me-sha-way said to his sister, "I arn 
lonely, Yo-yo-hon-to, and I am going to find the 



66 The White Canoe 

villages of my people. I am going to see the 
feasts and the dancing ; I am going to meet the 
warriors and the women, and if the Great Spirit 
so wills it, I shall bring back one to live with us 
in the wigwam and to be my wife." 

Yo-yo-hon-to said no word, but she put on her 
brother his best garments, she bound the eagle 
feathers about his brow, and, turning his face to 
the Southward, she bade him travel in that direc- 
tion until he came to the lodge of the Shau-go- 
da-ya, who would direct him on the rest of his 
journey. Thus Me-sha-way left his sister and 
went to seek the villages of his people, went to see 
the feasts and councils, to meet the warriors and 
the women, and to find a wife to live with him in 
his wigwam. 

Three days he traveled to the Southward, as 
Yo-yo-hon-to had commanded. There were ani- 
mals in the forest and on the prairies, and when 
he was hungry he killed and ate; when he was 
weary he lay down on a bed of leaves and slept, 
and so he continued on his journey. 

On the evening of the third day he saw before 
him in the forest a wigwam made of bark, and 



And Other Legends 67 

when he came near, he found the Shau-go-da-ya 
sitting within. She was old and bent, and grey 
locks fell about her brown and wrinkled face. 
Around her shoulders was a mantle of scalps, and 
her withered and trembling hands rested upon a 
staff to which hung fringes made from the beaks 
and claws of birds. 

A strange and terrible creature was the Shau- 
go-da-ya as she crouched in the shadow of the 
wigwam. As the form of Me-sha-way darkened 
the lodge door, she looked up at him with eyes 
that glowed like live coals, and resting her hands 
upon the staff, she arose to her feet. Then Me- 
sha-way started back in alarm, for, as she lifted 
the staff' the beaks and claws screamed and called 
and sang together, every bird of the forest in its 
own language, and as she walked the fringes 
of scalps swayed and trembled, and laughed and 
shouted with horrid laughter. 

''Fear not, No-sis, my grandson," the Old 
Woman said, ''I shall not harm you. I only have 
these to keep me company when I am alone, but 
now I have no need of them," and she set aside 
the staff' and dropped the mantle of scalps to the 



68 The White Canoe 

floor of the wigwam. "I have been waiting for 
you for many days. See, I have kept the fire 
burning and the kettle boiHng. There is fat in it 
for you to eat and a bed where you may sleep. 
Come in, my grandson ; eat and rest, for there is 
a long and wearying journey before you, and 
many dangers to encounter." 

So the Shau-go-da-ya gave ]\Ie-sha-way fat 
from the kettle to eat, and pointed to a bed of 
skins where he lay down and slept. When he 
arose in the morning rested and refreshed, she 
again gave him food, and when he had eaten, she 
said: 

"There is nothing you would tell me, my grand- 
son, that is not already known to me. I know 
of the journey on which you are going, and it is 
permitted me to give you aid, but on your own 
wisdom and courage will depend your success. 
Many dangers await you. but to reward you for 
them all the Great Spirit has selected a beautiful 
maiden to be your wife. But be not over confi- 
dent. Many have seen her to desire her, and the 
bravest of the tribes have sought in vain to win 
her. 



And Other Legends 69 

'Three days' journey to the eastward you 
will find the village where she lives with her 
father, the chief of the tribe. Very carefully 
he guards his beautiful daughter, and vows that 
none save the man of his ow^n choosing shall 
marry her, and that he shall w'in her by such feats 
of skill and endurance as never man endured be- 
fore. That he may keep her more securely he 
has built a lodge for her in the top of the tallest 
tree in the village, and not one of her loves has yet 
been able to approach near enough to gain speech 
with the maiden. 

'This is the woman whom the Great Spirit 
has selected to be your wife; but if you secure 
her you must be wise, and strong, and very cun- 
ning. To aid you in your undertaking, I give 
you these magic bones from the medicine dance 
which wall enable you to change your form at 
will, and a pair of enchanted moccasins made 
from the skin of a deer slain by Na-na-bo-zho. 
They w^ill be of much service to you on your 
journey, for the feet of the one who w^ears them 
will never weary, and when hard pressed by the 
enemy, he has but to step out of the moccasins 



70 The White Canoe 

and they will go forward of their own accord, 
and lead him away on a false trail. Take them, 
my grandson ; remember all I have told you, and 
may the Great Spirit give yon success !" 

Me-sha-way took the small white bones and 
dropped them into his meda-bag. He stripped 
from his feet the worn moccasins which Yo-yo- 
hon-to had made for him, and put on in their 
place the enchanted moccasins of the Shau-go- 
da-ya. Then, eager to be on his way, he thanked 
her for her aid, and, with feet light as down, re- 
sumed his journey. 

Three days ]\Ie-sha-way traveled to the cast- 
ward as the Shau-go-da-ya had bidden him, and 
on the fourth he came in sight of the village where 
lived the chief of the tribe. From afar he could 
discern the tall tree with the lodge in its topmost 
branches, and his step quickened, and his pulse 
leaped as he thought on the beauty of the maiden 
whom none had been brave enough to win, and he 
determined that never would he return to his 
wigwam in the Northland until he could take 
her for his bride. 

In the center of the village stood the lodge of 



And Other Legends 71 

the chief, and, as Me-sha-way approached, he 
came out to greet him. 

"Welcome, my son," said the chief. "It is 
many days since a stranger has been in the vil- 
lage to seek my daughter in marriage. The peo- 
ple are growing weary of feasts and dancing, and 
long for something to make the time pass more 
quickly. See, her lodge is there in the tree-top, 
and if you can reach it, she is yours; but, be 
warned, my son, others have been before you, 
and if you fail, your scalp also shall adorn the 
mantle of the Shau-go-da-ya." 

While the chief spoke the people of the village 
were gathering to see the sport. Me-sha-way 
wondered how so many had failed in the ac- 
complishment of a task which seemed so easy, 
but he made no boast as he replied to the chal- 
lenge of the chief. 

"It shall be as you have said. Great Chief. I 
have heard of the beauty of the maiden, and my 
heart desires her. It is the will of the Great 
Spirit that I shall have her for my bride ; but if 
I am weak and faint-hearted I am not worthy, 



72 The White Canoe 

and my scalp shall hang not at the belt of a war- 
rior, but on the mantle of the Old Woman." 

When he had ceased speaking Me-sha-way 
began at once to climb the smooth trunk of the 
tree. Slowly he made his way until he reached 
the lowest branches, then he ascended rapidly; 
higher and higher until it seemed that he must be 
very near the lodge, but when he paused and 
looked he found that it was as far above him 
as at the beginning. 

Then a great shout of laughter went up from 
the people below. 'Taster! Faster!" they cried 
between their shouts and their laughing. "Faster ! 
or the lodge will soon reach to the land of the 
stars ! See how he stops to rest and pants like 
a deer weary with running ! Come back, Me-sha- 
way, you climb up like a snail! Only the Adji- 
dau-mo has ever been to the lodge of the chief's 
daughter, and the Shau-go-da-ya cries for a new 
scalp for her mantle." 

Then Me-sha-way saw that faster than he could 
climb the tree was growing toward the stars, but 
at the taunting words of the people he remem- 
bered the magic bones in his meda-bag, and quick 



And Other Legends 73 

as a thought Me-sha-way disappeared, and in his 
stead was a squirrel scampering up the bark of the 
tree. 

Now he felt himself gaining and the shouts 
and laughter below ceased, or else the tree had 
grown so tall that their voices no longer reached 
him. Nearer and nearer he approached the lodge, 
when suddenly he felt the tree shaken by a mighty 
wind and he knew that Mud-je-ke-w^is, the Ruler 
of the Wmds, was fighting with the chief, and he 
was indeed great and strong who would be able 
to withstand him. 

Wilder and wilder grew the tempest and the 
branches swayed and lashed, and beat each other, 
while all the forest around the village bowed and 
bent before the anger of the Mud-je-ke-wis. Still 
the squirrel clung close to the writhing tree until 
a mighty gust from the nostrils of the angry 
Wind God tore him from the shelter and dashed 
him to the ground. 

''Now I have you !" cried the chief, as he drew 
his bow and rushed upon the fallen Adji-dau-mo, 
but before he could loose the arrow from the bow- 
string, a tall young Indian sprang up from the 



74 The White Canoe 

ground and with one leap in his enchanted moc- 
casins was out of sight. 

Then began the race between the chief and 
Ale-sha-way. Easily might the Little Elk outrun 
him, but he was a great and powerful enemy 
for whom the winds of heaven made warfare, 
and Me-sha-way knew that he must be wise and 
very cunning if he would save his scalp from the 
mantle of the Shau-go-da-ya. 

All day Me-sha-way sped on through the forest, 
but while the enchanted moccasins could keep 
weariness from the feet, they were powerless to 
stay the pangs of hunger, and at last Me-sha-way 
knew that he must stop and take food before he 
could proceed farther on the journey. As if in 
answer to his desire he saw a moose a short dis- 
tance before him among the trees, and drawing 
his bow he sent an arrow to its heart. Gathering 
leaves and twigs he kindled a fire, and soon a 
savory bit of fat was roasting before the coals. 

After Me-sha-way had finished his meal of 
moose fat he felt his eyes growing heavy for 
sleep, and remembering the power of the en- 
chanted moccasins to go forward of their own 



And Other Legends 75 

accord he drew them from his feet and bade 
them go into the forest, while he concealed him- 
self behind a fallen log and fell asleep. 

Bye and bye the chief came upon the smoulder- 
ing camp-fire and the carcass of the moose close 
by. He knew that his enemy had stopped here to 
rest and refresh himself, but seeing the fresh moc- 
casin tracks leading away from it, he followed 
them into the forest. 

The sun was high in the heavens when Me- 
sha-way awoke next morning to find himself 
weary and sore from his long journey. Then he 
remembered with dismay that he had sent his 
enchanted moccasins to decoy the chief from his 
trail and now he must proceed without them. 
Lifting himself from his bed of leaves behind the 
fallen log, Me-sha-way glanced about him when 
suddenly his eyes lighted on the moccasins stand- 
ing side by side before the camp-fire, and at the 
same moment the chief came to a place where the 
tracks ceased, leaving liiii; bewildered in the midst 
of a strange forest. 

Hastily Me-sha-Vv^ay made a meal from the 
meat of the moose which he had killed the night 



76 The White Canoe 

before, and thrusting his feet into the moccasins 
he started toward the village ; for Me-sha-way 
had seen a dark and beautiful face looking down 
on him from the lodge in the tree-top. The eyes 
were deep and shining like still pools under the 
moonlight, and they drew Me-sha-way 's heart 
from his bosom, so that he vowed again and again 
that he would never return to the Northland with- 
out the maiden for his bride. 

With the help of the enchanted moccasins he 
soon reached the village and found himself stand- 
ing under the tall tree looking up at the lodge in 
its branches. There was no time to be lost, for the 
chief might return at any moment, so Me-sha- 
way again adjured the magic power of the medi- 
cine bones, and turning himself into a squirrel, 
he ran swiftly up the tree trunk. 

"It is you, Ne-ne-moo-sha," said the maiden. 
"I have seen you in my dreams and have waited 
long for you to come and carry me awav from this 
hateful place. Many times I have feared when 
others came that they might reach the lodge be- 
fore the Great Spirit sent you, but always it was 



And Other Legends ^'j 

but a scalp for the Shau-go-da-ya, and the face 
in my dreams remained." 

Safely Me-sha-way bore the daughter of the 
chief to the ground and hand in hand they turned 
away from the village and entered the forest. 
But now a new difficulty confronted them, for the 
maiden, unaccustomed to much travel, soon grew 
faint and weary, and for two days they journeyed 
slowly to the westward, sometimes one wearing 
the enchanted moccasins and sometimes the other. 
Also they knew, that the chief returning to the 
village, and finding his daughter gone, would pur- 
sue them, and unless they were able to go more 
swiftly, he would overtake them before they 
reached the lodge of the Shau-go-da-ya. 

"I can go no furtlier," the maiden said, at last 
sinking down on the moss at his feet. "Yoii must 
take the enchanted moccasins and Sc e yourself 
while yet there is time, and as for me, I shall go 
back to my lodge in the tree-top and grow to be 
an old woman dreaming of you." 

Even while the maiden spoke and while Me- 
sha-way listened with bowed head and sinking 
heart, a Wau-bos sprang out of the bushes and 



78 The White Canoe 

cried : *''Fly ! Fly ! Me-sha-way, for your enemy 
the chief is following close upon you. Forget not 
the gifts of Shau-go-da-ya and tarry not against 
the coming of your enemy. Remember the Spirits 
fight only with the brave, but the faint-hearted 
must perish." 

Again Me-sha-way took courage as he thought 
of the gift of the Old Woman, and clasping the 
medicine bones in his hand he breathed a prayer 
to the Great Spirit for succor; and behold, while 
the wish yet lingered in his heart, the maiden 
disappeared and a beautiful O-wa-issa fluttered 
up from the ground and perched upon the branch 
of a tree. Then Me-sha-way drew the enchanted 
moccasins on his own feet and swiftly thev hur- 
ried forward together, the tall Indian and the 
blue bird flitting beside him. 

It was evening when they came in sight of the 
lodge of the Old Woman, where Me-sha-way 
knew they would find food and shelter. 

"Come in, my children," she said, as they stood 
together before the door. ''Come in and hide 
yourselves, for the chief follows close upon your 
trail." 



And Other Legends 79 

But Me-sha-way thrust the maiden within 
and stepping out of his enchanted moccasins, he 
bade them go forward to the end of the world. 

Then he dropped tlie curtain before the lodge 
door and the chief passed on following the tracks 
of the enchanted moccasins, never pausing, never 
straying, crossing mountains, through the valleys, 
over marsh and over fenland, straight to the ends 
of the world, to the Kingdom of Mud-je-ke-wis. 



8o The White Canoe 



THE JOURNEY OF O-ME-ME. 
CHAPTER I. 

OOAN-GE-TA-HA was a mighty hunter. 
^^ His lodge was on the border of the Ku- 
ha-go, the Great Forest, and there he Uved with 
his wife, Yong-we, and their two children. The 
eldest of these, O-me-me, was a little girl just old 
enough to keep the wigwam fire burning and take 
care of her brother A-meek, the Little Beaver. 

There were bear and moose in the forest, pike 
and sturgeon in the streams, and on the lakes and 
marshlands water-fowl in abundance. Soan-ge- 
ta-ha and his family were prosperous and happy. 
The tribes were at peace and there was plenty in 
the land. 

Soan-ge-ta-ha wore the warmest, brightest 
blankets of any Ojibway in all the North Coun- 
try. His war-gearing was rich with wampum and 
porcupine quills, and the garments of his wife 




JOURNEY OF O^ME-ME 



And Other Legends 8i 

and children were of softest, whitest moose skin. 
Back of the lodge was a field of corn, where, 
during the Summer, the glossy blades glistened 
in the sun, and where swelling ears burst the 
browning husks of Autumn. Along the streams 
grew the wild rice, and many baskets Yong-we 
braided to hold the stores the Autumn harvest 
would bring. The coming Winter found them 
with warm furs in the wigwam, and fish and 
meat in store. 

The bow of Soan-ge-ta-ha was made of ash- 
wood and strung with rawhide. His oaken ar- 
rows were tipped with jasper, and every beast of 
the forest had heard the twang of his bow-string 
and felt the sting of his arrows. 

"Soan-ge-ta-ha comes !" the Wau-bos, the rab- 
bit cried, as she fled trembling to cover, when the 
mighty hunter went forth with arrows in his 
quiver. 

''Soan-ge-ta-ha comes!" the O-kwa-ho, the 
wolf, snarled as he skulked into the darkest re- 
cesses of the forest. The Me-sha-way, the elk, 
crashed panting into the thicket, and taking up 
the cry every creature of the forest fled before 



82 The White Canoe 

the coming of Soan-ge-ta-ha, the Strong Heart. 

''He is a Wa-be-noe, a magician," they said, for 
flee as they would Soan-ge-ta-ha's arrows found 
them. No deer so swift but that there was an 
arrow in his quiver swifter, and no shadow in the 
forest deep enough to turn aside the aim which 
trained across Soan-ge-ta-ha's bow-string. 

When Seg-wun, the Spring, came back to the 
land and the south winds blew again on the 
beaver meadows, Soan-ge-ta-ha went no more to 
hunt. The days grew longer and the sun warmer 
until the w^ild strawberries began to ripen under 
their sheltering leaves, then Soan-ge-ta-ha put 
blankets and kettles into his birch-bark canoe, 
and taking his wife and children he paddled away 
to the southward where the berries grew in abun- 
dance. 

In a sheltered cove on the shore of the Gitchee- 
Gum.ee they made their camp with a brake of 
boughs and leaves to the windward. The cradle 
of the Little Beaver was swung to the bough of a 
sheltering fir tree, where all day long, as the 
breezes swept through the forest, they swayed the 
bough and rocked the cradle. 



And Other Legends 83 

Early in the morning Soan-ge-ta-ha and his 
wife took their baskets and wandered away in 
search of berries, leaving the Little Beaver to the 
nursing of O-me-me and the wind, but so well 
did O-ha soothe the little one that O-me-me's 
duties were light. 

The little girl lay on the soft moss under the fir 
trees and watched the sunshine in the branches 
above her, and the birds as they darted on swift 
wings through the tangle of light and shade. She 
was not lonely as she lay there through many 
sunny hours, for she knew all the birds in the 
forest by name, and they had been her compan- 
ions since she, too, swung in a linden cradle and 
slept to the lullaby of the wind. She knew their 
voices, each had a language of its own, and when 
they gathered in the branches overhead and chat- 
tered, and chirped, and rustled their feathers, and 
flirted their wings, she kept very still and smiled 
to herself, for she was hearing the latest sensation 
n bird land. She understood all their plotting and 
scheming, the insinuations and suspicions in the 
subdued chirps and confidential chatter. But she 
never told any one. O-me-me was far too wise 



84 The White Canoe 

for that, even if it had been possible, but bird- 
language is pecuHar and apart to itself in all the 
realms of expression, in that it has no translation 
into human speech. 

So the birds had no fear of O-me-me as they 
peered down through the branches and saw her 
smiling back at them from her bed of moss. 
Sometimes they grew very saucy and teased and 
taunted O-me-me, because they knew how much 
she desired to talk to them in their own language 
and could not. They would flutter down to the 
very lowest boughs above her head, and chirp and 
screech, and chatter and call. They would circle 
and wheel and dip, until their wings fanned the 
little black head on its pillow of moss, and one 
day a very saucy robin opened his beak and let 
fall a fat worm which he was carrying home to 
his family, so that it dropped directly on the tip 
of O-me-me's little brown nose. This was too 
much for O-me-me, so she sprang up and seized 
her father's bow which she well knew how to 
wield, and all her feathered tormentors flew 
screeching and frightened into the forest. 

Sometimes when O-me-me sfrew tired of the 



And Other Legends 85 

chatter of the birds, as she did on occasions, for 
birds are very Uke people after all, and given to 
talking a great deal without saying anything, she 
wandered off to the shore, and, stretching herself 
on the steep bank, looked down into the water. 

It was very deep and still here. Farther back 
around the bend, it was shallow and calm, a little 
bay cut into the sheltering hills, and there the 
water-lilies grew rank and rich among their 
glossy leaves. They were very pretty, and O-me- 
me liked to look at them for awhile ; but they did 
not interest her long, and the water was too shal- 
low to hold much underneath. 

So O-me-me seldom lingered by the Water-Lily 
Lake, but when she wanted to be amused she went 
to the place where the bank dropped off sheer 
into deep w^ater, and there she lay for hours peer- 
ing down into its brown-green depths. 

At first there was only water, but as she looked 
longer she could see tall, floating weeds and 
grasses, slender sword-like fronds that grew out 
of nothing and swayed and floated in the current 
like ferns of the forest swept by the wind. 

The longer she looked the farther down she 



86 The White Canoe 

could see ; down, down, down, a misty, mysteri- 
ous world filled with floating shadows, trees and 
flowers, ferns and grasses dimly outlined as 
through smoke. There a shaft of sunshine struck 
through the overhanging trees and where it 
pierced the shadows she could see a great pike 
with shining scales lying among the ferns and 
water plants, while all about it were strange form- 
less floating creatures belonging to the Under- 
Water World. 

O-me-me knew they w^erc there though she had 
never been able to see them clearly, though she 
lay many a sunny day straining her eyes into the 
waterv depths. She knew that down — farther 
down than any eyes had ever penetrated — was the 
lodge of Unk-te-ha, the great Under- Water Mani- 
tou, of which the White Loon was door-keeper, 
and where none but the Ne-ba-naw-baigs, the 
Water Spirits, had ever gone. 

It was a strange, silent world, and its people 
were not like the birds and beasts of the forest, 
for since Na-na-bo-zho had gone away to tb.e 
Land of Ponemah. nobody knew their language, 
and no word ever passed between those on earth 



And Other Legends 87 

and the creatures of this mysterious world over 
which their canoes floated. 

She often listened to the strange, wild cry of 
the Loon from the marshes at nightfall, and won- 
dered if she were going to get the keys of the 
Under-Yv'orld Water where they were hidden 
among- the rushes, and if she were to watch her, 
might she sometime learn where they were kept. 
Her father was wise, and brave, and very strong ; 
it was hard for O-me-me to believe that even Na- 
na-bo-zho could have been stronger or wiser. 
Why might not he talk to the Loon and learn' 
from her all their secrets ? 

Bye and bye she would be older, she would 
build her a lodge and fast long in the forest ; she 
would pray to the Great Master of Life to hear 
her, and then she would ask, not for so much 
wampum, not for a husband who was hand- 
some and brave, but for the keys to the Under- 
Water \\'orld. 

One warm, lazy day, as O-me-me lay on the 
mossy bank, she saw a serpent draw its slow 
length from the leaves and coil on a flat stone 
near the water's edo-e. O-me-me shuddered and 



88 The White Canoe 

crept away, for she knew it was not really a ser- 
pent, but an evil spirit in the serpent's form, and 
she feared that its eye might fall upon her with 
its wricked spell. 

For some time O-me-me crouched in the 
shadows under the fir tree and watched the ser- 
pent basking on the warm stone. What did it 
mean, this evil omen which had come to their 
peaceful camp? All day she was quiet and very 
thoughtful w^hile she pondered with fear in her 
heart. 

That evening, at nightfall, a stranger paddled 
into Water-Lily Lake. Springing ashore he 
drew his canoe up on the bank and strode into 
the light of their camp-fire. For a moment he 
stood motionless, the firelight playing upon his 
bare breast and touching his keen face. O-me- 
me gazed at him in wonder. He was quite dif- 
ferent from any one she had ever seen before, 
not in the least like her father or the other 
heavy-featured, stolid Ojibways who had come 
sometimes to their camp, and sometimes 
to their lodge on the border of the Great 
Forest. As he moved forward into the light, 



And Other Legends 89 

she noticed that his fringed buckskin leggings 
were striped with crimson, and the meda-bag 
which hung from his beh, was richly trimmed 
with wampum in some strange device. 

Suddenly, as if feeling the gaze fixed upon 
him, the stranger turned and looked at O-me-me. 
There was something in the movement of his sin- 
uous body, and in the gleam of his eye, which 
recalled the serpent on the stone, and O-me-me 
crept away to her bed of leaves without food 
rather than again encounter that strange gaze. 

Soan-ge-ta-ha hung another fish over the coals 
to bake, which was his offering of hospitality 
to the guest, and Yong-we spread a blanket in 
a sheltered corner of the camp for him to sleep. 

Next morning when O-me-me awoke the stran- 
ger was gone, and her father stood on the shore 
watching a tiny speck rising and falling upon 
the water. 

"Who was it?" she asked, timidly plucking the 
fringe of his sleeve. 

Soan-ge-ta-ha answered without removing his 
eyes from the receding speck on the water : 

"It is Kwan-o-shais-tah, the Great Serpent." 



90 The White Canoe 

When her father had gone away to fish, she 
asked her mother the same question, and she 
looked up from the moccasin she was mending, 
and said : 

"He is an Iroquoise." 

Many days Soan-ge-ta-ha and his family lin- 
gered at their camp on the Water-Lily Lake. 
The strawberries dried and dropped from their 
stems under the reddening leaves, then the low 
blueberry bushes began to droop with the weight 
of purpling fruit. Soan-ge-ta-ha and his wife 
still went forth with their empty baskets in the 
morning and returned with them full at night. 
The cradle of the Little Beaver still hung from 
the fir bough and 0-me-me kept watch beside it 

One evening she sat on the hillslope and 
watched the red sun drop into the lake, and the 
sky rain crimson mist, until all the water was 
dyed like blood. She saw the last faint breezes 
die, leaving the lake like a sheet of molten glass. 
Then the crimson changed to purple, and the pur- 
ple to palest violet, while across from the shore- 
line crept the encroaching shadows. Then, as the 
new moon swung its slender crescent above the 



And Other Legends 91 

tree-tops, she crept away to her bed of leaves and 
fir-spills. 

Next morning she awoke with a sense of some- 
thing new and strange in the air. A soft mist 
hung over water and sky, and through it the sun- 
shine shone mellow and subdued. The forest- 
fringed shore line receded in a blue and vapory 
haze, and the breeze that rustled the long, dried 
grasses and stirred the pine trees, was not the 
languorous breath of yesterday, but in a melan- 
choly undertone it whispered of Autumn. 

The little river that sent its slender silver 
line far inland lay still and clear among the 
rushes, and on the marshlands the purple of the 
water-hyacinth mingled with browns, and greys, 
and vivid greens, while, on a slender strip of up- 
land, rising toward the forest, was a glowing sea 
of goldenrod. 

How had it happened, this strange and subtle 
change which in a single night had created a new 
heaven and a new earth? She could not under- 
stand ; but somehow, while she slept, in the se- 
cret places of Nature's workshop the change had 
been wrought. 



92 The White Canoe 

O-me-me rubbed her eyes to make sure that 
she was awake, and looked around her. A crane, 
which had been standing motionless in the shal- 
low water, suddenly spread its wings and lifted 
its slender body across her field of vision. Yes, it 
was real and she was wide awake. Then she 
noticed her father bending over the fire and 
fashioning a moose-call from a bit of birch-bark. 

"It is Autumn," Soan-ge-ta-ha said, as he lifted 
it to his lips, and sent the dull bleating sound 
into the forest and echoing across the water. ''It 
is Autumn, the corn is ripe, we will go home," 
and putting the blankets and kettles into the 
canoe, they returned to their lodge on the border 
of the Great Forest. 



And Other Legends 93 



CHAPTER II. 

A FEW days of warm mellow sunshine, when 
Yong-we and O-me-me stripped the dried husks 
from the corn-ears and braided them into great 
yellow fringes with which to festoon their lodge. 
A few warm, lazy days in the meadows gather- 
ing the wild rice, then there came a wind out of 
the Northland which sent the snow flakes whirl- 
ing through the forest and turned the water in 
the lakes and rivers to stone. 

Wilder and wilder it grew, beating and twist- 
ing the branches of the trees, howling around 
the lodge, and sending the smoke in blinding 
gusts down the smoke-flue. But within the lodge 
there was warmth, and comfort, and light. While 
the stinging snow flakes drove hissing against 
the lodge, and the winds made the night hideous, 
Soan-ge-ta-ha heaped pitie cones on the lodge-fire 
and told wonderful stories of Gush-ke-v/ah, the 
Land of Darkness, where lived the giant Kab-bi- 



94 The White Canoe 

bon-ok-ka, and how the storm was but the 
breath of his anger, as he fought with his brother 
Mud-je-ke-wis. 

So O-me-me laughed at the storm and the an- 
gr}' giant while she nestled in the furs close to 
lier father's side, and she heeded not that the sun 
had hidden his face, that t' 3 days were short and 
dark, and the nights long and cold. 

Long the Winter lingered in the forest, long 
the whiteness lay upon the plains — so long that 
one day Soan-ge-ta-ha saw that the meat and fish 
were gone and that little rice and corn remained 
in the baskets. Strapping on his snowshoes, he 
took his bow and arrows and went into the for- 
est to find food. At night he returned, weary 
and footsore, with snow upon his garments but 
with all the arrow^s in his quiver, for neither deer 
nor moose had he seen in the forest and never 
once had he drawn his bow-string. He told no 
stories that night, but sat moody and silent be- 
side the fire ; and next morning, before O-me-me 
was awake, he had gone forth again into the for- 
est. But always it was the same, for something 
strange and terrible had happened to Soan-ge-ta- 



And Other Legends 95 

ha. His lightest, swiftest arrows dropped harm- 
less to the ground and all the beasts of the forest 
fled taunting and defiant before their old enemy 
Soan-ge-ta-ha. 

Still the rivers remained locked in ice and the 
sonw lay heavy on the trees. Little by little the 
rice and corn disappeared and a shadow darker 
than Winter was upon them — the gaunt shadow 
of Famine. 

Not alone did Winter and Famine come to the 
lodge of Soan-ge-ta-ha, but other sorrows fol- 
lowed close upon them like ill-omened birds 
upon their prey. As he returned day after day 
from his fruitless journeyings in the forest, he 
found Yong-we wrapped in her blanket and sit- 
ting moody and silent over the lodge-fire. No 
word of comfort or cheer did she speak and not 
even a glance of the eye did she give him as he 
came in at night and went out in the morning. 

At last the day came when not a handful of 
rice and corn remained in the baskets. On that 
morning Yong-we waited until Soan-ge-ta-ha 
had disappeared in the forest; then she threw 
aside her blanket and arrayed herself in his war- 



96 The White Canoe 

garments. Taking a stone axe in her hand, she 
bade O-me-me keep the wigwam fire burning, 
and she, too, went away into the forest. 

O-me-me did as her mother had commanded, 
and all day soothed the hungry whimperings of 
A-meek, the Little Beaver, while she warmed 
him by the wigwam fire, and at evening her 
mother returned, bringing meat for their supper. 
Hurriedly she hung the kettle over the fire and 
cooked the food ; then, bidding the little girl keep 
still, she removed all traces of the meal before the 
return of Soan-ge-ta-ha. 

Day after day this was repeated, Soan-ge-ta-ha 
growing weaker and fainter with fasting, until his 
hair hung dank about his sharpened face and his 
garments hung loose upon his fleshless limbs. 

At first O-me-me's heart was heavy with doubt 
and perplexity ; then it grew like a hot coal in her 
bosom, for she loved her father more than any- 
thing on earth, and she saw him dying with hun- 
ger while her mother prepared feasts in secret. 

One evening, while the kettle was stewing over 
the fire, O-me-me watched for an opportunity 
when her mother was not looking, and, taking a 



And Other Legends 97 

morsel of fat from the kettle, she wrapped it in a 
bit of bark and hid it in her bosom. 

That night her father came home, as usual, 
haggard and weary and empty-handed, and, 
throwing himself on a heap of skins, he was soon 
asleep. O-me-me lay down beside him and waited 
until she knew that her mother slept; then she 
softly awoke him, and, thrusting into his hand the 
savory bit which she had stolen from the kettle, 
she told him all the story. 

Soan-ge-ta-ha listened to the end ; and, spring- 
ing up from the bed of skins, he threw the bit of 
fat upon the smoldering coals of the wigwam 
fire. Then, like the anger of Soan-ge-ta-ha, the 
fat blazed up in a great flame until all the sky 
was reddened and all the trees of the forest shiv- 
ered and trembled in its glow. 

When the last sputtering flame had died out in 
the ashes and the wigwam grew dark, Soan-ge- 
ta-ha laid him down again on the skins beside 
O-me-me, and, speaking in whispers, he said : 

'T know now why I walk all day in the trail of 
the moose and deer until my limbs are weary and 
my body faint, and kill nothing. I know why 



98 The White Canoe 

your mother answers never a word when I speak, 
but sits gazing into the wigwam fire. The spell 
of an enemy is upon me; the spell of that evil 
Kwan-o-shais-tah, w^ho hates me bitterly ; and 
unless it is broken I must die. Say nothing of 
what I have told you. To-morrow I go to hunt, 
as I have done for many days, and do you wait in 
the wigAvam until I return." 

When O-me-me awoke next morning her father 
was gone, and soon her mother arrayed herself in 
his war-garments and went away into the forest. 

Soan-ge-ta-ha was hidden near the lodge await- 
ing her coming ; and, gliding from tree to tree, he 
followed her as she made her way deeper and 
deeper into the forest. 

At last she came to an opening, in the center of 
which stood the broken trunk of a dead pine tree. 
Going up to it, Yong-we struck upon it three 
times with her stone axe, when a serpent put its 
head out of a hole near the top and wound its 
length slowly down the trunk. No sooner had it 
touched the ground than lo ! not a serpent, but 
the tall, young Iroquoise stood before her: and 
as he bent his burning eyes upon her, he said; 



And Other Legends 99 

''Why are you so late, Ne-ne-moo-sha, sweet- 
heart?" 

Filled with rage at the sight of his faithless 
wife and her lover, Soan-ge-ta-ha drew his long 
useless bow, and, breathing a prayer to the Mas- 
ter of Life for revenge upon his enemy, he loosed 
the bow-string. Then the evil spell fell from 
Soan-ge-ta-ha, and behold! not one, but a great 
cloud of arrows filled the air, and Yong-we and 
her treacherous lover fell pierced by many darts. 

It was late when Soan-ge-ta-ha returned to the 
lodge where O-me-me waited and watched with 
her little brother. He brought meat with him 
for the first time in many days, and with his own 
hands he prepared their food. When they had 
eaten until they were satisfied, he said to O-me- 
me: 

''Listen, my child, while I speak. We can live 
here no longer. Your mother has gone away and 
she will return no more. She has gone with that 
evil Kwan-o-shais-tah the Iroquoisc. She was 
not a good mother ; she was a meda — a witch. 
She loves not you, she loves not me; she loves 
only the Iroquoisc. This day the spell which was 



loo The White Canoe 

upon me is removed, but the evil spirits which 
have been driven away from me will now pursue 
you, my children. It is forbidden me to leave this 
place for many moons, but you must take your 
little brother and go to a place which I shall show 
you — a place of peace and safety in the Land of 
the Setting Sun. A lodge is prepared for you, 
and if you reach it you will live safe and happy 
until the Great Spirit calls you from this Land 
of Snows, it is a long and wearisome journey, 
and you must make it alone. It is also beset with 
many dangers, for the Wen-di-goe, the giant of 
the forest, will pursue you and seek to capture 
you and the Little Beaver, that he may carry you 
away to his lodge in the forest. Only one thing 
have you to do and you will be safe. It is for you 
to remember all things I shall command you, and 
obey. Food will be provided for you from day to 
day, and the flying turtle, the messenger of the 
Ojibways, will bring me word of you on your 
long journey. Some day I may come to you in 
your lodge in the Land of the Setting Sun ; and if 
not there, then Che-bi-abos will guide me to you 
in the Kingdom of Ponemah." 



And Other Legends loi 

So spake Soan-ge-la-ha to his daughter O-rne- 
me, and then lying down on their bed of skins 
they slept until the morning. 

Not a word did Soan-ge-ta-ha speak as he pre- 
pared the last meal for his children, for his heart 
was like a stone in his bosom. Not a word did 
O-me-me say as she followed him with her eyes. 
Little she ate, and when the meal was finished 
Soan-ge-ta-ha wrapped about her his warmest 
blanket, and taking strong throngs of deer-skin 
he bound the baby to her back. Placing a little 
kettle in her hand and a meda-bag of wampum 
around her neck, he said: 

''Take nothing but these upon your journey. 
Food will be ready for the kettle from day to day 
and in the bag is everything necessary for your 
protection. Guard it well, for the lives of your- 
self and the Little Beaver are within. When the 
Wen-di-goe shall pursue you so hard that no 
other means of escape remains, put your hand 
into the bag and take the first thing which your 
fingers find and cast it upon the ground behind 
you. Until that time touch not the bag nor seek 
to know what it contains. Remember to do all 



I02 The White Canoe 

things as I have commanded you and you will be 
safe." 

O-me-me kept her eyes fastened on her father's 
face while he spoke, but nothing could she see for 
the tears that blinded her, and when he had fin- 
ished no word could she speak for the lump which 
filled her throat and choked her. Once she opened 
her lips but only to murmur the word '*Kne-ha, 
my father!" then turning her back to the sky 
glowing with the sunrise, she walked toward the 
forest. 

Only once did she look back when she reached 
the summit of the slope. Her father was still 
standing beside the lodge motionless as a pine 
tree, but as she paused, hesitating, he lifted his 
arm as if to urge her onward, then, breathing a 
prayer to the Master of Life to protect her and to 
bring her father to her again, O-me-me entered 
the Great Forest. 

All day she walked over the frozen snow, her 
back bent with its burden and her eyes stead- 
fastly kept upon the ground. All about her was 
the solitude of the winter woods. Here and 
there a robin flitted across her pathway, and her 



And Other Legends 103 

footsteps frightened a flock of brown birds feed- 
ing in a cluster of dried weeds. To the right 
and left were unbroken stretches of snow blurred 
by cold blue shadows. Lower and lower toward 
the tree-tops dropped the disc of the sun, but 
O-me-me trudged on in the track of its yellow 
beams. 

Not until the last bit of its rim had disap- 
peared below the horizon did she pause. Tired 
and hungry she selected a sheltered hollow where 
the fir trees, growing close together, had kept 
the ground free from snow, and under the ledge 
of overhanging rocks she built a fire of twigs and 
pine cones. 

Her moccasins were torn and her feet were 
bleeding. She w^as benumbed with cold and her 
body was sore with the weight she had carried 
all day. It was such a long way from the warm, 
safe lodge on the border of the forest, and she 
was so lonely, and as she bent over the fire raking 
the twigs together, a few tears fell with hissing 
little splashes in the hot ashes. 

Just then there was a rustling in the branches 
overhead, a crash as of something falling 



I04 The White Canoe 

through the boughs, and a young raccoon dropped 
upon the ground at O-me-me's feet. 

Her heart leaped with joy, and faith in her fa- 
ther's promises rushed back to her. He had told 
her that food would be provided, and he had kept 
his word. He said she would be safe if she 
obeyed, and now she knew there could be nothing 
to fear. 

While the tears dried upon her cheeks she set 
to work to dress the animal. Soon the kettle was 
bubbling over the fire, and, after a savory meal, 
she gathered the baby close to her and lay down 
and slept. 



And Other Legends 105 



CHAPTER III. 

Another day's journey and again the sun was 
dropping low to the tree-tops when O-me-nie be- 
gan to look about her for a place to camp for the 
night. Again she was weary and faint with hun- 
ger, but now she was happy, for all her father's 
promises were being fulfilled. She was a day's 
journey nearer the lodge in the Land of the Set- 
ting Sun, and not a sign had she seen of the 
giant of the forest, the evil Wen-di-goe. 

She turned aside into a ravine where she hoped 
to find a sheltered place where she might build 
her fire, when suddenly, out of the shadows be- 
hind her came a voice calling, 

"Bak-ah! Bak-ah ! Stop! Stop!" 

Not only did O-me-me's feet pause in their 
tracks at the summons, but her heart stood still 
in her bosom, for she knew it could be none other 
than the great giant against whom her father had 
warned her. 

Only a moment did she pause, then all weari- 



io6 The White Canoe 

ness fell from her and she sped forward like a 
frightened Wau-bos over the frozen snow. But 
O-me-me was no match for her pursuer. The 
burden of the baby on her back grew heavier 
and soon she could only stumble forward blindly 
while the voice came nearer and nearer calling all 
the while, ''Bak-ah ! Bak-ah !" 

She could hear the crashing of the boughs as 
his great bulk tore its way through the forest, 
and the panting of his breath like a strong wind 
behind her, nearer and nearer, until O-me-me 
knew that nothing save the charm in her father's 
meda-bag could save her. 

Thrusting her trembling hand into the bag her 
fingers closed over a small substance which she 
drew out to the light and found to be a bit of 
pnnk. Only a moment she hesitated with doubt, 
then remembering the raccoon which had fallen 
beside her camp-fire the night before, she breathed 
a prayer to the Gitchee Manitou, and cast the 
punk upon the ground behind her. Then where it 
fell a great fire sprang up and spread along the 
sky, so high that none might cross it, and so wide 
that not in many days could one go around it. 



And Other Legends 107 

Still O-me-me sped forward in her fear, on and 
on, leaving the fire and the raging giant far behind 
her, until at last her knees gave way beneath her 
and she found herself prone upon the ground. 

Here she built her camp-fire and sat down be- 
side it waiting, never doubting that her father's 
promise of food would be fulfilled. Then, while 
she waited, there came again a crashing among 
the branches, and a young beaver fell at her feet. 
So was food provided, and with the glow of the 
great fire between her and the enemy, O-me-me 
lay down and slept. 

Thus O-me-me journeyed on from day to day 
toward her home in the Land of the Setting Sun. 
Seven days she journeyed through the forest, and 
now she was growing very lonely, for there was 
still no sign of the lodge that was prepared for 
her, and in all the forest there was no creature for 
her to speak to. The birds, her friends of the 
summer time, had gone to the Land of Shaw-on- 
da-see, and the Wau-bos and the Ska-no-do, and 
all the creatures of the forest fled from her as 
from a stranger from a far country. 

There was no one to speak to in all the desolate 



io8 The White Canoe 

woods, and as O-me-me raked the twigs together 
on her camp-fire, she wondered how many more 
nights she must tarry in the forest before she 
reached the lodge which her father had promised. 
O-me-me had forgotten to be grateful for the 
food which was sent her from day to day, and for 
the great fire which had saved her from the giant. 
Then there came to her again out of the forest 
that voice which she had heard before, crying : 

'"Esa! Esa! Shame! Shame! to flee from your 
old Nesh-o-miss, Grandfather, who wants but a 
bit of food from your kettle. Esa ! Esa ! wicked 
O-me-me !" 

O-me-me had placed the baby on a bed of 
leaves while she made the fire, but now she 
seized him and fled from the voice of her enemy. 
Swift as her feet would carry her she fled in the 
direction of the glow still lingering behind the 
trees, and still the voice called close behind her: 

"Esa ! Esa ! wicked O-me-me ! Bak-ah ! Bak- 
ah! Wait for your old Nesh-o-miss!" 

O-me-me ran on through the forest; but now 
she had little fear of the giant, for the meda-bag 
hung safe around her neck, and in it were 



And Other Legends 109 

charms which would protect her from all danger. 
Thrusting in her hand for another bit of punk she 
felt her fingers close over a hard substance which 
she drew out to the light and found to be not punk 
at all but a beaver's tooth. Holding it close in 
her hand she ran on waiting for her pursuer to 
come nearer that she might taunt him and show 
him how even a little girl might foil him. 

Nearer and nearer he came, and then O-me-me 
looked back, and, in full security of the charm 
which she held in her hand, she called to him 
tauntingly : "Come on ! Come on ! How slow 
you are, Nesh-o-miss ! See, I am waiting !" 
Laughing and careless in her safety, O-me-me 
cast the beaver's tooth from her, but, alas for hap- 
less O-me-me, she cast it not behind her as her 
father had commanded, but on the ground before ! 
Then where it touched the earth there sprang up 
a wide and swift flowing river, while close behind 
her came her enemy, so close that she could see 
the marks about his eyes and the hideous smile 
upon his face. 

"Now you will wait, my No-sis, my grand- 
child," he called. 'T will run no longer, for surely 



no The White Canoe 

we will both sup from the same kettle to-night," 
and she could hear his panting breath as his steps 
slowed to a walk. 

O-me-me looked at the baby in her arms, which 
she had promised her father to take care of, and 
she wondered if it were not better to cast it into 
the foaming rapids than allow it to fall into the 
hands of the evil Wen-di-goe. O-me-me was a 
very brave little girl ; she would meet her own 
punishment and soon she would be with the baby 
again. She lifted it high in her arms as if to cast 
it far out into the river beyond the reach of the 
enemy, when a voice close beside her stayed her 
arm. 

''Wait, wait, O-me-me!" the voice said. '*You 
did not wilfully disobey your father and I have 
been sent to help you," and there, close under the 
bank of the river, was a great white loon. 

"Yes," the loon continued, speaking to O-me- 
me, *'I know you. I have seen you gathering wild 
rice on the marshlands near the border of the 
Great Forest, and I have seen you beside the 
Water-Lily Lake. I know of your long journey 
and how brave and patient you have been, and 



And Other Legends in 

now I am going to help you across the river and 
save you from the Wen-di-goe. Take the baby 
and get upon my back." 

So on the great strong wings of the White 
Loon O-me-me and the Little Beaver were carried 
across the river and landed safely on the other 
side, and while she made a fire and cooked their 
supper she could hear above the roar of the 
rapids the saw-saw-quan of the Wen-di-goe as 
he raged up and down the bank of the river seek- 
ing means to cross. 

O-me-me knew that he would find a way when 
daylight came, so before it was light she was far 
upon her journey. But there was great fear in 
her heart for when she took the beaver's tooth 
from the meda-bag she discovered that but one 
charm remained, and on this depended her safety 
for the remainder of her journey. How long it 
would be she did not know. Every crackling 
twig caused her to start with fright, and the call 
of the beasts in the forest made her heart leap 
within her with fear. Not once did she pause 
to rest her weary limbs through the day, but 



112 The White Canoe 

straight forward she pressed in the track of the 
sunset. 

''So you thought to outrun me, my Httle No-sis/* 
the voice of O-me-me's enemy again called to her. 
''Your Nesh-o-miss is old but he is very swift, 
and not the magic fire nor yet the magic flood 
could turn him aside. Esa ! Esa ! O-me-me, 
when your grandfather would but walk with you 
and have a bit of fat from your kettle ! Surely 
there is enough to spare him a morsel. The baby 
is very heavy and you have carried it long. Wait 
Nesh-o-miss, he is strong and he will carry the 
baby." 

Panting and breathless O-me-me stumbled on 
through the forest, the voice coming nearer and 
nearer at every step. She knew she could not 
outrun him, the great giant who was so tall and 
strong, but she dare not use the last charm which 
remained in the meda-bag. 

"The baby is very heavy, O-me-me," the voice 
called, now near than ever before. "You have 
carried it for many days, O-me-me. Wait for 
Nesh-o-miss, he is strong and he will carry the 
baby." 



And Other Legends 113 

Yes, it was the baby he wanted ! There was no 
doubt in 0-me-me's mind now ; the precious baby 
that she had tended since first he opened his eyes 
and bUnked at her in the sunshine of the wigwam 
door. She had been told that the Wen-di-goe car- 
ried the babies far away into the forests, where 
he killed and ate them, and now he was comxing 
close behind her calling for the baby. 

She must save it, no matter what happened 
afterward, so she seized the last charm in the 
meda-bag, a bit of flint, and casting it behind her, 
she sank upon the ground overcome with weari- 
ness and fear. 

She lay upon the ground waiting for some sign 
of the Wen-di-goe, expecting every moment to 
hear his thunderous voice calling her and to see 
his evil eyes bending over her. But not a sound 
did she hear, and then she fell to wondering what 
happened when she threw the last charm to the 
ground. At last she raised herself from the earth 
to see what the charm had wrought, and there 
towering above her she saw the gleaming slopes 
of a mountain of pure jasper. Yes, she was saved; 
for nothing could scale the precipitous sides, and 



114 The White Canoe 

it would take many days for even the tireless 
Wen-di-goe to go around it. 

Filled with a sense of security O-me-me gath- 
ered the Little Beaver close to her and lay down 
on the ground and slept. 

"No-sis pen-de-ga, my grandchild, come in." 
O-me-me moved uneasily on her hard couch. 
Was it a real voice calling to her so faintly or 
was it but a part of her dream ? Again it sounded 
clearer but very faint, and now she knew that 
some one was speaking close to her. 

''No-sis pen-de-ga." 

O-me-me rubbed her eyes very hard and looked 
around but not a soul could she see. Behind her 
towered the shining sides of the jasper mountain 
and there was no one in the forest that lay before. 
The voice seemed to come from the earth at her 
feet, but she could see nothing save a tiny white 
worm lying among the bits of flint which seemed 
to have scaled from the sides of the mountain. 

*'Fear not," the voice again said, and now 
O-me-me knew that it was the little white worm 
speaking. ''I am a Puk-wud-jie, a fairy. You 
have never seen me but I have seen you many 



And Other Legends 115 

times. I have hidden among the ferns that grew 
around Water-Lily Lake and watched you tend 
the baby all the summer long. I have come on 
the winds of Winter and rested on the poles of 
your wigwam and seen how you kept the fire 
burning when the days were long and cold, and 
how you saved the best of the food for the Little 
Beaver when there was not enough for both. I 
know how you tried to save your father from 
starving, and how you obeyed your mother when 
she was wicked and forgot to be kind. I am the 
Puk-wud-jie who watches over you always, and 
will be near to give you aid when you are in need. 
]\Iany days ago the flying turtle brought me word 
of your coming and I have been waiting for you. 
It has been a long journey, but you have been 
brave. Your last charm is gone and now you are 
to come in and rest and prepare for the remainder 
of the journey." 

O-me-me looked in doubt and wonder at the 
great jasper walls towering high above her and 
then at the little white worm lying among the 
scales of flint. 

^Tear not,'' the little white worm chirped again, 



ii6 The White Canoe 

seeing her hesitation. **Lie down on the ground 
and close your eyes, when you open them you will 
see the way." 

But still O-me-me hesitated. Might not this be 
some trick of the Wen-di-goe to deceive her and 
get her in his power ? She had heard of the Puk- 
wud-jies many times, and knew, that though they 
were small, they had power to defeat the strongest 
giant, but she had never seen one and how could 
she know that what the little white worm told her 
was true. 

"It is right that you should be cautious," the 
little white worm said, "but the messenger from 
your father bids you to stop here and rest, that 
you may be able to continue your journey." 

It was enough, and immediately O-me-me did 
as the little white worm had commanded her. For 
a moment she lay on the ground with closed eyes, 
then when she opened them she found that the 
little white worm was little no longer but larger 
than O-me-me herself. She looked about for the 
Little Beaver, but he was nowhere to be seen. In 
his stead was a tiny white worm, which she was 
sure had not been there when she closed her eyes. 



And Other Legends 117 

"Yes, it is the Little Beaver," the Httle white 
worm said. "We are all worms together, and now 
you have only to creep through this hole to the in- 
side of the jasper mountain." 

As she spoke she drew herself through a hole 
in the side of the mountain which was so small 
O-me-me had not seen it before. 

"No-sis pen-de-ga," she called from the other 
side, and no longer fearing, O-me-me and her lit- 
tle brother followed the Puk-wud-jie through the 
side of the mountain. A narrow dark passage, 
and then when they came into the light the little 
white worm was nowhere in sight, but a little old 
No-ko-miss with wrinkled face stood smiling 
down at them. 

"Stand up, O-me-me," she said, and then O-me- 
me stood up her own self again with the baby on 
her back. 



ii8 The White Canoe 



CHAPTER IV. 

O-ME-ME stood looking about her in bewilder- 
ment, then she rubbed her eyes very hard to make 
sure that she was awake. So strange and wonder- 
ful were the things that had happened to her that 
she found it hard to separate the events of the day 
from the dreams of the night. It was all like one 
long dream from which she could not awake, or 
like the stories which her father told when they sat 
together over the lodge-fire on the border of the 
Great Forest. Only this was more wonderful 
than any dream O-me-me had ever dreamed, so 
she still stood looking around her and trying in 
vain to wake up. 

When she went to sleep on the outside of the 
jasper mountain it was winter, cold, bitter winter, 
with the ground hard and frozen, and the snow 
heavy on the trees. Not a flower had she seen 
since those last days of Autumn when a Spirit 
came out of the Northland and breathed upon the 
forests and the meadows. Then the flowers black- 



And Other Legends 119 

ened and drooped on their stems, and the leaves of 
the forest withered and fell to the ground. Also, 
at the coming of this Spirit out of the Northland 
the birds of the Summer had gone away to the 
Land of Shaw-on-dasee, and all fair and beautiful 
things disappeared before the Spirit which her- 
alded the approach of the mighty Kab-bi-bon- 
ok-ka. 

But now a green meadow stretched out before 
her, and through the midst of it flowed a clear 
and sparkling stream. Skirting the meadow was 
a forest, and in the branches flitted her friends 
of the Summer, the birds that twitted and taunted 
and teased O-me-me when she was safe and 
happy in the camp beside the Water-Lily Lake; 
but now they all sang together : "Welcome ! Wel- 
come ! O-me-me !" 

''Yes, it is true," the little old No-ko-miss said, 
smiling at O-me-me's bewilderment. "You are 
not dreaming, but you are in the land of the Puk- 
wud-jies, a land where you have but to wish and 
it is done. Here we have whatever weather and 
whatever season we desire; but now, after your 
long, cold journey, we have desired this Summer 



120 The White Canoe 

that you may warm yourself in the breath of 
Shaw-on-dasee, and hear the song of the O-pe- 
chee and the 0-\va-issa again." 

Not a word could O-me-me answer, but she 
stood looking at the beautiful woodland and the 
sunny meadow, thinking how delightful it must 
be to live in a land where one could have sunshine 
and flowers for the wishing. 

While she looked and wondered, suddenly a 
shower of snow flakes came out of the blue sky, 
covering her garments and filling her hair, and 
drifting in heaps about her feet. What could it 
mean? Had some other Puk-wud-jie suddenly de- 
sired a snow storm? How could they manage 
such conflicting wishes in this strange country? 
Perhaps it might not be so delightful after all to 
live in a land where everybody got just what they 
wanted ! 

Thicker and faster the flakes came out of the 
Summer sky, floating and whirling until O-me- 
me and Little Beaver and the little No-ko-miss 
were enveloped in a furious storm of snow. 

At last O-me-me heard the queer cackling laugh 
of the little old No-ko-miss; 



And Other Legends 121 

"No, it is not a real snow storm," she said be- 
tween her cackUng and her laughter. "It is the 
Little White INIedicine Man come to welcome 
you to the Land of the Puk-wud-jies," and taking 
O-me-me by the shoulders, the little old No-ko- 
miss turned her about so that she saw nodding, 
and dancing, and smiling behind her, the queerest 
little old man her eyes had ever beheld. His 
body was painted w^hitc, and over his shoulders 
was a mantle of white wolf skins. A queer head 
dress of raven's feathers and porcupine quills 
tow^ered high above him, and on this was heaped 
a great mass of sw^an's down, wdiich, as he 
danced, and whirled, and tossed his feathers, 
fle\v in a miniature snow storm around O-me-me. 

"Come ! Come !" he called, dancing on before, 
nodding, and whirling, and scattering his snow in 
their pathway. "Come! Come!" and they fol- 
lowed him across the meadow, up the slope of the 
hillside and through the village of the Puk-wud- 
jies. 

Not a sound did O-me-me hear as they passed 
through the village save the chanting of the Little 
White Medicine Man as he danced on before ; but 



122 The White Canoe 

strange faces peered at her from the tiny lodges 
as she passed. 

On the farther side of the village he led her 
to a lodge which had been newly swept and spread 
with fresh fir boughs. As he paused before the 
lodge door he shook the last remaining bits of 
down from his quills, and the little old No-ko- 
miss lifted the curtain from the lodge door in- 
viting O-me-me to enter. 

"Here you are to remain," the little No-ko-miss 
said, "until the Meda of the Puk-wud-jies breaks 
the spell of the wicked Wen-di-goe, that you 
may continue your journey in safety. You were 
given only the charms which were necessary to 
bring you here, and now the Puk-wud-jies must 
send you in safety to the lodge in the Land of the 
Setting Sun." 

O-me-me lay down on the bed of fir boughs, 
grateful for the warmth and comfort after her 
long and dreary journey, and while she lay there 
half awake and half asleep, three boys entered the 
lodge bearing bowls of meat and corn. Their 
bodies were painted yellow but their heads were 
white, like that of the Meda, and O-me-me knew 



And Other Legends I23 

they were the Antelope Boys of whom her father 
had told her. 

The sun was high in the heavens when O-me-me 
awoke to the sound of the rattles and the drum, 
and when she arose from her bed of fir boughs 
the Antelope Boys again stood before her with 
bowls of food. 

When she had finished eating, the little old 
No-ko-miss entered the lodge nodding and smil- 
ing, and bade O-me-me take the Little Beaver and 
follow her. Wondering what new and strange 
experiences awaited her, O-me-me did as she was 
bidden and followed the little old No-ko-miss out 
of the lodge and into the village through which 
she had passed before. 

Now all the village was astir. Around the 
medicine lodge, which stood in the center of the 
village, was gathered a great company of the Puk- 
wud-jies. Near the door of the lodge lay a canoe 
of birch-bark and around it crouched eight young 
men clothed in skins of buffalo. As O-me-me 
and the little old No-ko-miss came into the circle 
they arose to their feet and stood in pairs around 



124 The White Canoe 

the canoe, shaking their mysterious rattles and 
chanting a strange weird song. 

Faster and faster grew the music when two of 
the young men leaped into the midst of the circle 
and began to dance. The body of one was painted 
black and covered with white stars, while the other 
was striped with red and yellow like rays of sun- 
light. 

As the circle widened about the medicine lodge 
O-me-me saw that two of the young men, wearing 
the skins of grizzly bears, remained crouched be- 
side the canoe, and the little old No-ko-miss told 
her that these represented the evil spirits which 
brought sickness, and famine, and all trouble to 
the people. These spirits must first be appeased 
before the great encounter with the mighty Wen- 
di-goe, the Chief of Evil Spirits. 

Faster grew the music and wilder the dance 
when suddenly the Antelope Boys appeared bear- 
ing bowls of food, and breaking through the 
whirling line of dancers they approached the 
crouching evil Spirits beside the canoe. Kneel- 
ing, they presented the bowls of food, and, after 



And Other Legends 125 

examining them a moment, the Spirits seized 
them and made off into the woods. 

Then the old men who sat around the circle 
began to beat their drums of deer's hide, and 
lifted their voices in a strange, wild chant such as 
O-me-me had never heard before, while all the 
people swelled it with their voices. As the music 
ceased one of the old men leaped into the circle 
and began to harangue the people. Their prayers 
had been heard by the Great Master of Life, he 
told them ; because they were untiring in the chase 
and fearless in battle; because they were kind to 
the old men, and taught the young ones courage, 
he had granted them peace, and plenty, and vic- 
tory over all their enemies. As a proof of this 
the Chief of Evil Spirits had not yet dared to 
show his face in their midst. 

One after another the old men stood up and 
harangued the people, boasting of the power of the 
Puk-wud-jies and challenging the Chief of Evil 
Spirits, the mighty Wen-di-goe. 

When the speeches were ended the people 
joined in a great shout of triumph, and O-me-me's 
heart swelled with pride at the courage of the 



126 The White Canoe 

little people who dared defy the great Wen-di-goe. 
She wondered at her own terror when he pur- 
sued her in the forest, and felt that she could no 
longer fear one who dare not meet the taunting of 
the Puk-wud-jies. 

Suddenly, while O-me-me listened with swell- 
ing pride, the drums and rattles stopped, the 
boasting of the old men grew still and a hush fell 
upon the people. All eyes were turned toward the 
brow of the hill overlooking the village, and fol- 
lowing their gaze O-me-me felt her hair creep in 
terror under its band of deer thongs. There, 
standing on the summit of the hill loomed the 
great figure of the Wen-di-goe whom they had 
been reviling, and to the eyes of O-me-me seemed 
more terrible than he had ever appeared in the 
forest. 

In his hand he held a staff tipped with crimson, 
and he rested upon it regarding with contempt 
the puny people who had dared defy him. The 
Puk-wud-jies returned his gaze, motionless as 
if frozen with fear, and he dropped the crimson 
tip of his staff to the ground, and pushing it on the 



And Other Legends 127 

earth before him, he rushed upon the village like 
a destroying hurricane. 

The Puk-wud-jies fell back upon one another 
crying aloud in terror, and O-me-me clutching 
the baby close to her, searched frantically in the 
meda-bag, if by any chance another charm re- 
mained. On and on she ran in the direction of 
the opening through which she had entered the 
jasper mountain, and wondering if, after all, the 
Puk-wud-jies had deceived her and brought her 
here to be destroyed by the evil Wen-di-goe. 
Remembering their own terror she knew this 
could not be true, and as she stumbled on, the 
Little White Medicine Man passed her with a 
rush, going forward to meet the mighty Wen-di- 
goe. 

O-me-me turned to look after him and saw the 
Wen-di-goe cross the magic circle which sur- 
rounded the medicine lodge, and as he did so 
the Little White Medicine Man likewise leaped 
into the circle and seized the magic pipe into 
which the Great Manitou had dropped a coal of 
living fire. 
■ The Little White Medicine Man held the pipe 



128 The White Canoe 

before the face of the great Wen-di-goe, and 
suddenly he stopped as if turned to stone, for 
nothing evil had ever been able to stand before 
the living fire of the Great Manitou. His evil eyes 
glared and his hideous figure stiffened before the 
Little White Medicine Man and his magic pipe. 
The women who had fled shrieking before their 
enemy, seeing him standing helpless in their 
midst returned and danced and shouted around 
him in derision. 

The Wen-di-goe could not move his eyes from 
the magic pipe which the Little White Medicine 
Man held before him. Trembling with fear 
O-me-me crept back to watch the contest. Which 
would conquer, the Little White Medicine Man, 
his frame wasted with much fasting and his face 
furrowed by many years, or the Wen-di-goe who 
towered above him, mighty and strong? O-me- 
me knew not of the live coal which the Great 
Manitou had dropped from heaven, or she had not 
feared for the Little White Medicine Man. 
Earnestly she prayed to the Great Master of 
Life to strengthen the arms which held the pipe, 
and even as she prayed the eves of the evil Wen- 



And Other Legends 129 

di-goe wavered, his muscles relaxed and the 
crimson tipped staff fell to the ground. 

Then a mighty shout of triumph went up from 
the village of the Puk-wud-jies, for their enemy 
was conquered. One of the women sprang into 
the circle, and seizing the staff, broke it in pieces 
and flung them into the face of the conquered 
Wen-di-goe. Emboldened by her act the others 
followed, pelting him with sticks and stones until 
he turned and fled into the woods. 

Then the old men seized their flutes, and drums, 
and rattles, and made a joyful noise, while all the 
Puk-wud-jies danced and shouted at the victory 
of the Little White Medicine Man. Even the 
wrinkled little old No-ko-miss seized the hand of 
O-me-me and drew her into the dancing circle. 

''He is gone! He is gone!" she sang. ''Our 
wicked enemy, the great VVen-di-goe, is con- 
quered, and not for twelve moons will he show 
his face in the land of the Puk-wud-jies. Back 
to his cave beyond the great North Forest has 
gone the wicked Wen-di-goe, where the sun 
never shines and the snow never melts, to the 



130 The White Canoe 

Land of Gush-ke-wa, the Land of Darkness has 
gone the evil Wen-di-goe !" 

Then the Httle old No-ko-miss took 0-me-me 
by the hand, and, while all the company of the 
Puk-wud-jies followed dancing and shouting, 
and the Little White Medicine Man nodded and 
whirled and covered her again with his minia- 
ture snow storm, they led her to the entrance 
of the jasper mountain. 



And Other Legends 131 



CHAPTER V. 

O-me-me's heart sank within her as she re- 
membered all the dangers through which she had 
passed and that now not a single charm remained 
in the meda-bag. If only she might stay here 
with these wise and good Little People safe in- 
side the jasper mountain ! But her father had 
bidden her go on to the lodge which was prepared 
for her in the Land of the Setting Sun, and she 
dare not stop until his commands had been 
obeyed. How long the journey might be, and 
what things should yet befall her, she knew not; 
but she must go on to the end. As O-me-me 
walked and pondered with the baby on her back, 
her head was bowed, and she could not see the 
snow storm of the Little White Medicine Man 
for the tears that clouded her eyes. 

'Tear not, No-sis," the little old No-ko-miss 
said as she walked beside her. ''Only a few more 



132 The White Canoe 

days and your journey will be ended. The evil 
Wen-di-goe is conquered and is now a prisoner 
in his cave in the Land of Gush-ke-wa. Before 
he is released you will be safe in your lodge in 
the Land of the Setting Sun. Only remember all 
your father told you and it will be well, and re- 
member that the Puk-wud-jies keep watch over 
children who obey." 

Even as the little old No-ko-miss spoke the 
walls of the jasper mountain melted away and be- 
fore O-me-me could wipe the tears from her 
eyes she found herself standing alone in the for- 
est with the baby on her back. 

Then again O-me-me rubbed her eyes and won- 
dered if she were awake, for on that day when 
the little white worm had bidden her come inside 
the jasper mountain it was winter without, but 
now the snow was gone, and the earth was car- 
peted with green and the trees were fresh with 
swelling buds. A rippling stream twinkled in the 
sunlight and along its margin grew the earliest 
flowers of springtime. As O-me-me walked on 
over the tender grass and soft moss, she saw that 
her own ragged moccasins had been replaced with 



And Other Legends 133 

others, new and beaded with wampum, and in- 
stead of her torn and travel worn garments she 
wore a robe of softest moose skin fringed with 
quills and beaded with wampum. Now she would 
come to her new home already rich and happy if 
only the way were not too long and the wicked 
Wen-di-goe remained in his cave in the Land of 
Gush-ke-wa. 

The forest was now full of song birds, and as 
O-me-me passed a clump of bushes her old 
friend the O-pe-chee alighted and perked his 
saucy head as he sang: "Welcome! Welcome! 
O-me-me. See, all the birds have come to greet 
you! The W^a-wa from the far Land of Shaw- 
on-dasee, the O-wa-issa and the Saw-saw, and 
even the Adji-dau-mo from the tree-tops calls his 
greeting to O-me-me. The Se-bow-isha dances 
and sings to meet you, the meadow blooms with 
all her brightest flowers. Not unto a far-off land 
of strangers comes the faithful O-me-me, but 
unto friends who know and love her. Follow! 
Follow ! O-me-me." 

Flitting from bush to bush and from tree to 
tree flew the O-pe-chee singing always : "Fol- 



1^4 The White Canoe 

low! Follow! O-me-me!" and O-me-me taking 
courage, smiled up at the swelling buds and spring 
skies and followed through the forest, never rest- 
ing, never pausing, but no weariness fell upon 
her and no hunger vexed her. 

Noon and evening, and then as the sun 
dropped low and the sky reddened behind the 
tree-tops, the forest opened before her, and she 
knew that she was near her journey's end. Be- 
fore her stretched a broad green meadow 
through which flowed a clear stream, like to 
the meadow and the stream in the Land of the 
Puk-wud-jies, and then O-me-me knew that 
they were but revealing to her the beauties of 
the home to which she was journeying. Beyond 
the stream the meadow arose to meet the wood- 
land and midway between the stream and tlie 
forest stood a w^igwam. Its tall poles arose clear 
against the glowing sky and its white walls 
were outlined against the dark forest. While 
she looked and wondered the robin whirled up- 
ward from the meadow grasses and perching 
on the tallest pole of the wdgwam sang: "Wel- 
come! Welcome home, O-me-me!'-' 



And Other Legends 135 

Yes, it was true! This was indeed the home 
which her father had promised, and the long, 
weary journey was over, this beautiful white 
wigwam beside the crystal river ! Here she 
would live in safety with the Little Beaver and 
wait for the time when her father should come 
to be with them. 

O-me-me walked through the long meadow 
grass, and as she crossed the stream and ap- 
proached the wigwam, the robin lifted his voice 
and sang as he had never sung before: "Wel- 
come! Welcome home, O-me-me!" 

O-me-me paused before the lodge door, eager 
and yet fearing to enter. W^hat treasures 
should she find within? Her father had prom- 
ised that she should never know want again, 
but that all things needful for her comfort 
should be provided. What stores of wampum 
and blankets, and skins must be within the wig- 
wam. 

Reaching forth her hand she lifted the cur- 
tain of skins which was drawn before the door- 
way. At first she could see nothing; but as her 
eves became accustomed to the darkness she ven- 



136 The White Canoe 

tured within, to find the wigwam empty except 
for a bed of fresh fir boughs and a bit of hol- 
low log which stood beneath the smoke-flue. 

Then O-me-me's heart dropped like a stone 
with disappointment, and a great wave of w^eari- 
ness and weakness sw^ept over her. Was this the 
fulfillment of her father's promise, this bare lodge 
with only a bed and not even food to eat? 

She laid the baby down on the bed of fir 
boughs and returned to the lodge door. As she 
stood there looking out over the meadowy the 
robin flew from the lodge pole, and flitting 
toward the river, sang: ''Follow, follow, O-me- 
me !" Then she saw that a canoe was drawm up 
among the rushes, and as she drew near she 
discovered three freshly caught pike lying in 
the bottom. In such way had her food been 
provided, so she took the pike and returned to 
the lodge. Gathering twigs together she kin- 
dled a fire in the lodge, and stooping beside it 
she began to prepare the fish for cooking. With 
a sharpened bit of stone which she had picked 
up beside the river she scraped away the lustrous 
scales, but while she worked her eyes were 



And Other Legends 137 

blinded with tears of weariness and disappoint- 
ment. 

She scraped the last fish and placed it in the 
kettle, and as she arose she dashed the tears 
from her eyes, and gathering up the scales that 
lay in a little heap beside her she threw them 
into the opening of the hollow log. And then 
there happened the strangest and most wonder- 
ful thing that had ever befallen in all the course 
of O-me-me's strange and wonderful life, stran- 
ger even than the punk which kindled the magic 
fire, or the beaver's tooth which started the 
mighty river, stranger than the jasper moun- 
tain and all the things which she had seen in- 
side, for as O-me-me poured the handful of fish 
scales into the blackened hollow log there came 
out at the bottom a stream of beautiful glitter- 
ing wampum, which rolled over the dark floor of 
the wigwam and lay like bits of broken rain- 
bow in the ashes of the fire. 

Then O-me-me knew that in this manner her 
father's promise would be made good, that here 
was given her a mine of wealth which would se- 
cure for her all the comforts which she desired, 



138 The White Canoe 

and that never should she know hunger, or cold, 
or weariness again. 

As O-me-me gathered the wampum from the 
floor of the wigwam, the breeze which stirred 
the grasses of the meadow, the rippling waters of 
the brooklet, and the robin on the lodge pole 
all sang together in one melodious chorus : 
''Welcome, welcome home, O-me-me!" 



THE END. 



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